Croatia

18 Member States are at risk of missing one or both of the 2025 targets.

Over the last few years, global energy demand has risen, and this trend is expected to continue. Almost all European Union (EU) countries are suffering from a shortage of energy services. Annually, EU fossil fuel energy production falls; for example, in 2014, gas production fell by 11.2% compared to 2013. Energy imports, especially natural gas, have increased as a result of lower energy output. The EU is still heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports (oil and gas), and the cost of EU energy imports in 2017 increased by 26% (€266 billion).

This annual report summarizes WtERT-Germany's activities, like the outcome of the website's relaunch, our consultancy projects in Croatia and Tunisia as well as hosting/delegation of guests in 2018. In addition, it gives a glimpse of what we are about to do in 2019.

Dr. Goran Rozing, Ferit and Werner Bauer, WtERT have decided to collaborate on future projects in Croatia.

In the present contribution, the current situation as well as future strategy with goals for sustainable development of municipal waste management in Croatia are shown. Additionally, waste amounts, recycling rates, mechanical-biological treatment plants (planned and in operation), cement industry and other relevant waste management issues are discussed. Finally, in total three solid recovered fuel (SRF) Premium Quality samples from all three mechanical-biological treatment plants that are currently in operation have been extensively investigated and selected results are presented.

Cities along the Adriatic coastline of Croatia boast a sizable and fast growing tourism industry that is one of the key pillars of the country’s economy. However, the practice of discharging untreated sewage directly into the Adriatic Sea resulted in serious threats of environmental degradation of coastal waters, in addition to constraining tourism-based economic development. From the project’s start in 2009 to the project closure in 2015, the Coastal Cities Pollution Control Project 2 (CCPCP) supported the elimination of untreated wastewater discharge, piloted innovative wastewater treatment solutions, engaged in institutional strengthening, and improved seawater quality monitoring in the coastal area.

Abstract: The paper is based on the study of the cost-effectiveness of recycling by the manual disassembly of small household appliances.

Abstract :The paper provides for a survey of active disassembly and materials utilized for its integration in electric and electronic appliances’ production.

Abstract: The European Commission prohibits the use of classic incandescent light bulbs, and suggests their replacement by energy saving electric light or by compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

Abstract: Laboratory tests and tests under wear real conditions were conducted on stainless steel samples.

A report by Ecologic Institute and Climact shows that the draft National Energy and Climate Plans presented by governments at the start of 2019 are in acute need of improvement. They suffer from inadequate targets and insufficient details on the policies and financing needed to move towards net-zero emission economies in Europe. Member States also need to do better in involving their national stakeholders in providing input to the plans, to benefit from their expertise and to get them on board for future policies. Good practice examples exist around the EU to serve as inspiration for the final plans due by the end of the year.

As a completion of the intensive cooperation of the export initiative Environmental Technologies "Sustainable Waste and Recycling Management in Croatia", a high-ranking 30-member delegation from Croatia visited Bavaria.

In general, people are lazy. If they have to make additional effort to separately collect waste (e.g. make a trip, assure additional bins, etc.) and are not either enticed or punished for not doing it they won’t. So, when City of Osijek was establishing its waste management system one aspect that was particularly taken in consideration was how to enable people living in high-rises to separately collect different fractions of waste in most efficient way. The solution – “Recycle in Slippers”, a pilot project that puts bins for separate collection of paper and cardboard and plastic at each floor and additional bins for separate collection of 7 other fractions in the building communal area. The pilot project is implemented in 8 highest buildings in the City, each with 100+ apartment units and elevator.

This Study to assess the implementation by EU Member States of certain provisions of Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, carried out for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment (DG Environment), investigates the situation in the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU) as regards the landfilling of untreated non-hazardous municipal solid waste.

For a number of years, the city of Velika Gorica has been developing waste management projects, and the actual waste management system situation of the city of Velika Gorica is the result of its gradual and strategical development since the late 1990s. The waste is a very important resource in the concept of circular economy and the construction of infrastructure in Velika Gorica will ensure foundations for circular economy.

Many Central and Eastern European countries are under pressure because of their accession to the European Community (EC) and the related demands e.g. to reach the necessary standards of infrastructure especially regarding the environmental sector. Similarly, Eastern European states that are (currently) not willing or prepared to join the EC such as Ukraine or Russia are starting to develop a national waste management infrastructure.

This paper examines the reasons for the adoption of “green policies in the field of energy and climate change in four South East European (SEE) countries – Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It evaluates the extent to which these policies are influenced by the European Union (EU) as opposed to other factors, such as international obligations, domestic pressures (from NGOs, the private sector, political parties), perceived business opportunities, or concern for the environment. Theoretically, the paper primarily relies on the rationalist institutionalism approach, which focuses on the use of conditionality in the EU accession process. The empirical part of the paper is based upon 30 semi-structured questionnaire responses from and interviews with government officials, NGO representatives, and experts from international organizations actively involved in the field. Overall the underlying incentive of EU membership was evaluated as the most powerful generator of green energy policies in SEE. While other factors seem to act in synergy with the EU’s demands, responses suggest that it is unlikely these factors would have led to the adoption of the green policies/programs outside of the EU context. However, differences among the countries examined do exist. They can be attributed to a certain extent to the countries’ differences in their progress on the path to the EU, although some level of variation, due to a number of political, economic, and social circumstances, is to be expected.

The paper is wrapping on the data on hazardous waste management for South-eastern Europe (SEE)/Balkan region. Reporting is based on the usage of selected analytical tools for environmental management. Concluded remarks are expected to be guiding principles to handle hazardous waste on regional basis in developing/in transition countries. Reporting by selected Analytical Tools for Environmental Management: Hazardous waste management in South Eastern Europe

Croatian capital Zagreb for the third time is attempting to build Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plant. Zagreb WTE plant is planned to treat thermally residual municipal solid waste (MSW) and sludge from the existing Zagreb waste water treatment plant, and to produce energy from waste. The project has been postponed mainly due to opposition of some environmental organizations.

In this study, a time series from the ground level ozone monitoring station for Rijeka (Croatia) as well as the associated meteorological conditions were investigated. In the summer, during 13 to 19 August 2000, the afternoon hourly ozone measurements were consistently higher than the 180 ug m-3 which represents an information treshold of pollutant concentrations according to the national standards.

Waste management in the former Yugoslavia and until several years ago in the Republic of Croatia too, has been performed in the majority of cases in such a manner that waste has simply been disposed of, without any control regarding its type, quantity and manner of landfilling. Thereby, landfilling sites have been selected a long time ago (not rarely as many as more than 50 years ago), when there was no knowledge and no developed awareness in responsible persons about the long-term negative environment impacts arising from inappropriately landfilled waste, yet. The basic conditions, that a potential site had to comply with, were the vicinity of landfilling site and its visual isolation, whereas any decrease of negative impacts coming from the emission of harmful substances on the environment and on humans had mostly not been considered at all.

Existing way of waste management almost nowhere complies with the ecological principles, criteria and standards. Essentially, this proves to be true for the island of Krk as well. The pollution of environment, water and air along with environment destruction results not only in the destruction of our values and resources but in the destruction of our children's, grandchildren's and great grandchildren's future. In a special and dramatic way this happens to a precious and delicate environment (limestone area, sea) of island Krk. (Session A6: Waste collection)

The idea of environmental education regularly refers to “teaching” public, i.e. explaining citizens the problems related to environmental protection. Different activities are performed to promote environmental protection in Croatia. Public opinion about the need for environmental protection is formed by organized and balanced cooperation of the state, potential investors, educational institutions and public media. Environmental education has been included in primary and secondary school curricula for years. It was mainly connected to the subjects related to nature and human health. After signing Bologna declaration in 2001, Croatia started to reform its higher education system in accordance with the new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education. It presented a possibility to form new study programs within new reformed system.

The policies that underpin environmental protection in Croatia are set out in the National Environmental Strategy and the National Environmental Action Plan passed by the Croatian Parliament on 25 January 2002. The National Environmental Strategy attempts to reconcile action in two basic strategic directions.

Hazardous Waste Management in the Balkan Region is presented as the "case study" of transboundary environmental pollution".