Balkan regional waste management improvements

Local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have begun implementing various waste management and recycling initiatives. In Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a new recycling center was opened in collaboration with EKOPAK, ZEOS Eko-sistem, and the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism to support a circular economy. Meanwhile, in Belgrade, Serbia, the Voždovac municipality distributed new bins to households to improve waste sorting and prevent illegal landfills.

Following these localized efforts, Serbian municipalities have moved toward long-term strategic planning. Ruma adopted a waste management plan for 2026–2036 focused on increasing recycling rates, promoting composting, and investing in new machinery and collection centers. Similarly, Vršac has begun developing a ten-year plan in partnership with ‘Aurora Green’ doo to modernize infrastructure and reduce reliance on landfills through public consultation and improved waste treatment processes.

Expanding on these regional efforts, the Serbian Ministry of Environmental Protection has launched a new project in northern Serbia to serve approximately 180,000 citizens across the municipalities of Sombor, Apatin, Kula, Odžaci, and Bač. This initiative includes the construction of a sanitary landfill at the Rančevo site and the remediation of 14 hectares of unsanitary landfill areas. The project also involves procuring new infrastructure, such as bins, containers, and specialized collection vehicles, to modernize services and meet European environmental standards.

Recent developments in Serbia show further expansion of industrial waste management. Elektrodistribucija Srbije is planning the construction of new facilities in Subotica dedicated to the temporary storage of both hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste.