ZAGREB, November 28, 2018 - Energy and Environment Minister Tomislav Ćorić on Tuesday underscored that at the end of 2017, only 28% of waste was separated and that by the end of 2022 that has to be 60%, adding that the waste management in Croatia needed improvement.
"That's a huge job and that is something that the Environment and Energy Ministry or any other institution in Croatia cannot achieve on its own and we all have to do that together," Ćorić said addressing a conference on waste management in Croatia attended by mayors, business people and government representatives.
We wish to stress that 2018 and the second half of 2017 was a period in which we accelerated our efforts and I believe that in 2019 we will be even faster in our activities in the ministry and the Environment Protection Fund regarding waste management, he said.
Ćorić added that at that accelerated pace, Croatia can achieve a 50% rate of separated waste by 2020 and 60% by 2022. He added that he was certain that the European Commission will give Croatia an incentive in that regard.
Asked by reporters what towns were the most successful in separating waste, Ćorić said that he didn't want to single out anyone in particular. However, northwest Croatia is a leader in some matters and Slavonski Brod and the island of Krk are exemplary in that regard.
With regard to possible penalties, Ćorić explained that that depends on an entire set of categories and that no-one has made any calculations yet. Once the European Commission reacts negatively to data from a member state, it determines penalties based on GDP and other parameters.
Ćorić underscored that the total quantity of waste at the end of 2017 was more than 1.7 million tonnes. There were 88 recycling yards in Croatia then, 5 sorting stations, 31 facilities for special categories of waste, 11 compost yards and 12 bio-gas plants for the production of electricity.
He added that 401 local governments had adopted waste management plans which means that about 50 still haven't done their job and that is why they weren't in a position to apply for EU funding to finance infrastructure requirements.
For more on the waste management in Croatia, click here.
