Collecting Glass Packaging - Promotion of Recycling

A large action of collecting glass packaging was organized in Niš on the central city square within the project Management of Glass Packaging in the Western Balkans. Those who brought three glass bottles or jars for recycling received symbolic prizes in return. A prize quiz was organized for the citizens, with which they could test their knowledge about the recycling of glass packaging waste. This action was organized by National Alliance for Local Economic Development, German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the company Sekopak and the City of Niš, all in order to raise awareness of the importance of recycling packaging waste, with a special focus on glass. Earlier this year 300 containers for glass recycling arrived in Niš. The City of Niš along with Public Utility Company for Waste Management Mediana participate in the develoPPP program funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development via German Development Cooperation – GIZ with the purpose to improve the rate of collection and recycling of glass packaging, develop regulatory solutions and raise awareness on the importance of recycling. Apart from Nis, the regional project Management of Glass Packaging in the Western Balkans is being implemented in Sombor, Kragujevac and Varvarin, as well as in selected pilot municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Macedonia by National Alliance for Local Economic Development in Serbia, the Regional Development Agency of Herzegovina (REDAH) and the Association of Local Self-Government Units (ZELS) from Northern Macedonia together with packaging waste operators – Sekopak, Pakomak and Ekopak. Only 44% of glass packaging is recycled in Serbia, 30% in Northern Macedonia and 12% in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is insufficient to establish a cost-effective recycling system in the Western Balkans. Since there are no recycling plants in the region, glass packaging must be exported and this is an additional cost for packaging waste operators. Consequence of such a system is that most used glass packaging ends up in landfills or illegal dumps, where glass needs more of 5,000 years to disintegrate. One of the project goals is a 20% increase of the collection rate and recycling of glass in the selected municipalities in all three countries. The project will prepare a Guide for local governments to establish an efficient and cost-effective glass packaging management system and the project also aims to contribute to improving the implementation of laws and regulations in the field of environmental protection which is also a direct contribution to further EU accession and harmonization of rules and regulations.