"New waste project in Serbia"

01 March 13

 

Serbia is interested in Dutch knowledge and skills in relation to waste management; more specific in innovative landfill design and management. The country offers large opportunities for the Dutch business community as European funds for the realisation of 8 regional landfills have been granted and also because European funds are available for the realisation of nearly 30 waste transfer stations. Ameco would like to come into contact with Dutch companies that wish to explore the local Serbian market together. Your reaction is appreciated. 

Serbia has a large waste problem. The country is not in the possession of a sound waste management system, resulting in environmental risks and in certain cases also in significant human health risks. Undesirable situations occur mostly in rural areas, where waste collection services are lacking, where informal and unmanaged landfills occur (that do not comply with European environmental standards), and where recycle and re-use options are lacking.

The Serbian government acknowledges the problem. Their proposed solution is described in the ‘National Waste Management Strategy’ and comprises the development of a regional waste management system, whereby municipal waste  through local waste transfer stations is transported to newly developed regional landfills. 

One of such regional landfills will be developed in the Kolubara region, south of Belgrade, in the township of Kalenić. The Serbian government has asked the Dutch government to assist with the realisation of a local waste transfer station for two municipalities in the Kolubara region: Koceljeva and Vladimirci. Ameco will construct this local station, commissioned by Agentschap NL and financed by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment. Ameco has further proposed to rehabilitate the current informal landfill in Koceljeva and keep it partly operational until the regional landfill of Kalenić is operational. It is expected that this will take a few more years. 

Activities that will take place are among others: the rehabilitation of the existing informal landfill, the construction of a waste transfer station, the development of training materials and operational manuals for landfill- and waste transfer station staff, the development and implementation of a public information campaign, and information dissemination activities.