Integrated Solid Waste Management Programme Phase I and II

• Landfilling remains the predominant form of waste management.
• Large amount of non-compliant landfills and dumpsites pose a serious threat to the health of the population, environmental safety and biodiversity conservation.
• Serious deficiencies regarding waste collection and waste transport such as missing or outdated waste containers, the largely poor condition of the collection vehicles and ineffective route planning leads to considerable efficiency losses.
• Minimization of waste generation and reuse and recycling of waste is only at the beginning. Separate collection is scarce and related mostly to pilot projects by some municipalities.
• The tariffs do not cover the costs and do not allow solid waste management Public Utility Companies (PUC) to maintain, modernize or extend their infrastructure.

The purpose of the Integrated Solid Waste Management is to establish an environmentally and hygienically sound, climate friendly, sustainable and efficient solid waste management system in up to three solid waste management regions on their way towards EU compliance, at socially acceptable cost. This is to contribute to reduce and eliminate adverse impacts of municipal waste materials on human health, environment and climate as well as to support economic development and superior quality of life.

The programme is carried out in two phases:

• During the first phase the technical and design documents are prepared, and the municipalities and their solid waste management PUCs have to meet certain efficiency and performance criteria in order to qualify for the second phase (performance-oriented approach).
• The second phase involves investments in infrastructure for solid waste collection, recycling and treatment.

• The Program design is based on the priorities defined by the Government of Serbia within the EU accession negotiations regarding Chapter 27 (Environment and climate change).

• In parallel with improving solid municipal waste management and environmental protection, the Program concept envisages fostering a circular economy that contributes to sustainable economic growth and new employment.

• The Program covers the solid waste management regions (SWMR) of Kruševac and Vranje.

• The following priority investment measures will be implemented within the two investment phases of the Program:

  • Establishment of regional waste management centers with sanitary landfills.

  • Introduction of separate collection of recyclable materials.

  • Introduction of secondary sorting of recyclable materials by establishing sorting stations in regional waste centers.

  • Establishment of adequate waste transfer and transport capacities.

  • Support for organic waste composting.

  • Introduction of mechanical biological treatment of organic waste (MBT).

  • Closure of dumpsites and non-sanitary landfills.

• Significant climate benefits are expected – a CO2 emission reduction of 38,000 t/year in SWMR Kruševac and an additional 39,500 t/year in SWMR Vranje.

• The preparatory phase has been successfully completed for SWMR Kruševac and Vranje.

• The investment phase of the project is ongoing, and the expansion of its scope is expected in the second half of 2026.