Methane emission reductions in SEE waste sector through application of GMI resources (funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada – ECCC) (2023 – ongoing)
About project
Developing countries face similar waste management issues in systems which are predominantly focused on landfilling, with very limited recycling and other, more climate friendly treatment options. The Project will strengthen capacities of municipalities in non-EU SEE countries to comply with national and EU legislation. By translating and training key Global Methane Initiative (GMI) tools, the project enables analysis, assessment, and planning of waste management systems to divert and treat biowaste, reducing the impact of the sector on climate change, and improve the economic outcomes of SEE countries.
Key Project Activities
- Translation and adaptation of GMI Tools.
- Organization of 2 in-person workshops.
- Study tour for operators of composting plants.
- Study on emission reductions in SEE countries.
- Organization of Regional Conference.
CirculaMare 2021
About project
The project “CirculaMare” aims to determine the existing practice and trends in plastic waste management in the City of Belgrade. The project will contribute to a better understanding of the current situation and the identification of essential obstacles to sustainable management of plastic waste in the capital, while defining recommendations for its improvement in terms of its sustainability and environmental impact.
One of the most important activities of the project is the implementation of a detailed analysis of the amount and composition of municipal waste with an emphasis on plastic waste streams, ie types of plastic waste.
The analysis of the amount and composition of municipal solid waste in Belgrade will be realized by taking samples from 100 households within 4 city municipalities (New Belgrade, Zvezdara, Stari Grad and Surcin) in a period of 7 days. The households from which the samples are taken include individual housing and dwellings within collective housing. Also, a special segment of the analysis refers to the analysis of the characteristics of waste generated in commercial facilities (restaurants, hotels, offices, small businesses, markets, schools, hospitals, etc.)
Other activities that will be implemented through the project:
- Assessment of the current status of plastic waste management in the city of Belgrade
- Mapping the existing “value chain” of plastic waste
- Identification and quantification of the most important places where plastic waste is scattered, including landfills for municipal waste
- Recording of locations within urban areas where plastic waste is discharged into rivers and other watercourses
- Evaluation of the main elements of the existing waste management system in Belgrade (collection, treatment, recycling, etc.)
The project is part of the activities of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance) and the German organization GIZ, whose goal is to reduce the negative impact of increasing amounts of plastic waste ending up in the environment. Activities diverge in 8 countries across the Mediterranean, including Serbia.
Initiative on small biogas facilities for manure to attain GHG mitigation in agriculture (Biogas initiative) (2021 – ongoing)
About project
Even in DE with about 10,000 biogas facilities (incl. small as well), only about 25% of total livestock manure is used for biogas production, whereby small farms make a significant source of CH4 emissions. In contrary, in RS small biogas facilities do not exist so far. Biogas initiative project have the following goals to: raise awareness and educate stakeholders; transfer relevant knowledge from DE to RS; develop implementation strategy and initiate it between stakeholders.
Planned measures to attain project goals are to: create and dissemination information material; investigate manure potential from small farms and related potential GHG mitigation; investigate sustainability prerequisites; define framework for sustainable implementation.
The project aims to achieve the developed framework for successful implementation of small biogas facilities based on manure from small & medium livestock farms, in order to contribute to attain GHG mitigation in agriculture. Several stakeholders’ groups could benefit from the project: state institutions, professional associations, technology implementers and general public. Personnel in relevant ministries will be trained to define/adapt/adopt policy. Professional associations will be trained for dialogue with institutions to give appropriate feedback. Potential technology implementers will be trained for successful implementation from technical point of view. General public will be made aware on project topic to secure public acceptance.
Scaling Up the Novi Sad, Serbia Composting Project to Treat organic Waste from the South Bačka Waste Management Region (2021)
About the project
In recent years Novi Sad has increasingly focused on reducing the amount of organic waste disposed in landfills. With financial support from the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Global Methane Initiative (GMI) and Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Novi Sad developed the first municipal composting plant in Serbia in 2020. The current capacity of the plant is approximately 1,500 t/year of organic waste.
Recognizing the importance of organic waste diversion, the city is interested in expanding the current capacity of the plant. Expansion of the plant will help the city achieve its waste management objectives, while also contributing to the goals of the Waste Management Strategy for the Republic of Serbia and complying with the European Union Landfill Directive to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill.
This study evaluates the feasibility of expanding the capacity of the existing Novi Sad composting plant. The analysis, which considers three organic waste collection and treatment scenarios for the plant’s expansion, was conducted for Novi Sad by EPA on behalf of the GMI. The study utilizes the Organic Economics (OrganEcs) tool developed by EPA on behalf of the GMI to assess the costs for each scenario and compare potential revenues against expenses for the period of 20 years. The study also involves an analysis of the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided under the three scenarios, using the Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool (SWEET), also developed by EPA for the GMI.
The Food Shifters (2019-2020)
About project
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH – funded
The main objective of the project The Food Shifters: A Voluntary Scheme for Urban Food Waste Management is to identify all potential commercial sector food waste generators in Belgrade and to quantify the amount and composition of generated food waste from these sources. Also, by mapping and displaying the spatial distribution of different food waste generators in Belgrade on a digital platform, the aim is to contribute to establishing a voluntary scheme for the reduction and management of food waste from commercial food generators in the city of Belgrade. In addition, estimation of CO 2 emissions savings for amounts of food waste that will be reused & recycled (i.e. amounts diverted from landfills), and level of contribution to reducing biodegradable municipal waste according to the EU Landfill Directive, will be calculated.
Biodegradable Waste Reduction (2019 – ongoing)
About project
The specific tasks and responsibilities of a project Development of Local Plans for Primary Separation and Action Plans for Biodegradable Waste Reduction in Selected Regions in Serbia are: A detailed assessment of the status of waste collection and source separation in selected municipalities/regions; Assessment of the current status of waste management in selected regions from the existing/available documentation; Field visits to towns and municipalities in selected regions; Identification of short-lived climate pollutants in the waste sector; Preparing documentation and development of action plans for the reduction of biodegradable waste – setting of priorities for reduction of short-lived climate pollutants; Development of work plans – defining of steps and activities for implementing best solutions in terms of defined priorities for reduction of short-lived climate pollutants (identification of locations for potential composting facilities, necessary planning documentation, respective investment costs).
Food waste Novi Sad (2019-2020)
About project
EIT Climate -KIC Serbian Hub-funded.
Accelerating the transition to a Circular Economy by the creation of a food value chain at the university campus Novi Sad.
Technical Requirements for Construction and Management of Composting Plant in Bijeljina Region, BIH (2019-2020)
About project
The aim of the study is to assess the capacity of the City and the Bijeljina region in terms of composting separately collected bio-waste, evaluate required technical and technological conditions for the composting plant of different capacities recommended for the Bijeljina region, describe the composting process and monitoring of process parameters, and define and manage the potential environmental impacts of the composting plant and operations.
The main propositions defined in the key European Union (EU) Directives in the field of waste management require the Member States to meet certain targets with regard to the recycling of materials, separate collection of biowaste and the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfills. BIH, as a country strategically committed to joining the EU, will have to start implementing these Directives in the near future and consider appropriate ways of treating biowaste.
Compost Market Study for Bijeljina Region, BIH (2019-2020)
About project
The aim of the Study is to evaluate the market potential for the compost produced, in terms of its use in agriculture as an organic fertilizer or as a soil amendment. The Study shows the current state of production, supply and use of artificial fertilizers in the Bijeljina Region and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), and provides an assessment of the possibility of using compost as an alternative tool in agriculture, landscaping or on landfills, as well as the number of potential users – farmers.
The situation in BIH in terms of artificial fertilizers indicates that most of the needs are met from imports of both basic and complex fertilizers. In order to find ways to reduce import dependency in this sector, it is necessary to find alternatives. One option, which is financially demanding, involves expanding the capacity for the production of artificial fertilizers in BIH, and the other involves the utilization of bio-waste for compost production and its use in agriculture. Compost is a natural substitute for artificial fertilizers, and given the fact that the product is derived from waste, it fits into the principles of circular economy, also encouraging economic development.
CBInoCE (2019)
About project
Providing companies with the opportunity to identify opportunities and needs for the implementation of the principles of the circular economy in their business
City Network for Sustainable Waste Management (2018-ongoing)
About project
The objective of the project Establishing City Network for Sustainable Waste Management is to create a city network with the goal of establishing a strong partnership between cities in the regions of Southeast Europe (SEE), the Middle East and Central Asia to improve solid waste management. The lead partner assists the member cities to identify, propose and implement bankable and sustainable waste management projects in order to reduce climate change impacts and improve human health and the status of the environment. The project will be realized during two workshops held at the University of Novi Sad.
Morphological composition of waste (2018-2019)
About project
The aim of the project Determination of quantity and morphological composition of waste from commercial facilities in Novi Sad in order to define an appropriate commercial flow management system waste locally was to define the amount and composition of biodegradable waste from the commercial sector, as part of improving the waste management system and achieving the goals of the European Union in which biodegradable waste and its treatment are fundamental.