November 23, 2019 - Split mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara praises the work done on rehabilitating the Karepovac landfill in Split over the last two years. 

On November 22, 2017, the rehabilitation of the infamous Karepovac landfill began. In the past two years, the former eyesore of Split has become a rehabilitated and landscaped area. After about one million cubic meters of old waste was moved and transformed in the first year of operation, in the second year, transport, hydro and electrical infrastructure was built, and a landfill cassette of about 70,000 square meters with slopes for one million cubic meters of new waste.

Mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara said of Facebook that he is satisfied with the work done so far.

“It was a time of temptation and challenge, as I announced on the first day of rehabilitation, November 22, 2017. Congratulations to the workers and the whole team involved in this project, especially since they didn't miss even the challenging moments that followed us from the beginning. It wasn't easy, but after more than five decades of carelessness, Split's shameful hill was repaired. Thanks to the citizens for their patience, especially those from Dračevac, Kila, Mejaši, Kamen-Šine, Sirobuja, and the neighboring Solin, as they can now raise their children in a healthy environment,” said the mayor, emphasizing that the fight for health and a clean environment is the first priority of the city government, which they will continue to work on. 

“I will only be completely satisfied and proud when we, together with Čistoća, lead the responsible disposal of our waste. We can and must do it better, for the benefit of Split and future generations,” Opara Krstulović concluded. 

Recall, the first phase of the Karepovac rehabilitation was completed in May 2018. The second phase of Karepovac’s rehabilitation envisages its greening, and the third and final phase foresees the sanitation of the area where the garbage will be disposed of in the future, and finally the closure of the landfill, assuming that all the waste is driven to Lećevica.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Contractors of the first phase of the rehabilitation of Karepovac, companies "GTT Trade" and "Eurco," are reluctant to publicly commend the tremendous and demanding work they have done in the past year and four months, transforming Split’s smelly landfill into a landscaped, not-so-smelly, and sanitized landfill.

However, when asked about the deadline for completion, Arsen Zoran Tonšić, CEO of GTT Trade, said that everything would be completed by the beginning of the summer, which means nine months before the contract deadline, May 22, 2020, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on April 8, 2019. 

For Croatia, that sounds like science fiction - and most of us in Split remember how Karepovec once looked. Namely, a landfill with over 50 years of garbage, adorned with a cloud of hungry seagulls floating above. Not even a Hollywood movie set could have made a landfill look more like one than Karepovac.

However, today, after a year and four months of rehabilitation, Karepovac is covered with layers of various materials and protective pebbles, making it unrecognizable. 

Tomislav Tento, construction site engineer, and Tonšić spoke about the new sanitary plot where the waste will be disposed of for the next five to six years, while they wait for work on the Waste Management Center in Lećevica

“It is a surface which extends over 37,000 square meters, the same amount of surface as the slope, and a volume of one million cubic meters. Below the tape, there are as many as ten different layers of material that are resistant to biochemical influences. Water from the landfill will no longer end up underground, but through two chutes, it’ll enter a swimming pool for landfill wastewater, which is in the final stage of construction,” said Tonšić.

At the very top of the landfill, more precisely on its western side, a new peripheral road will be built which will be asphalted at the very end of the work, and works are underway for the plumbing connection to the hydrant network. During this rehabilitation phase, the Split landfill currently disposes of freshly received waste.

“What is particularly important is that we have no more problems with unpleasant smells. We've finished moving the waste and at the third micro-location, we might have to rearrange the new waste," said Tonšić.

"Three-quarters of the landfill is covered, landscaped and brought to a state for the next stage. The only exposed part is where the new garbage is collected, which is reduced to only 500 square meters is covered daily. We have also completed the gravity pipeline,” concluded Tonšić, adding that most of the work was already done - only the final make-up is left.

The second phase of Karepovac’s rehabilitation envisages its greening, and the third and final phase foresees the sanitation of the area where the garbage will be disposed of in the future, and finally the closure of the landfill, assuming that all the waste is driven to Lećevica.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Rehabilitation began on the infamous Split landfill, Karepovac, on November 22, 2017. 

The Split landfill was visited the Director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, the Split-Dalmatia County Prefect and the Split Mayor on Monday. 

A look at what has been done so far. 

Have you noticed any funky, Karepovac-like smells lately? The City of Split has an answer. 

The first phase of Karepovac's rehabilitation was completed on Saturday and the works will resume in the fall.

2017, in a nutshell.

Perhaps the most famous landfill in Croatia, Karepovac is well on its way to a much-needed makeover.