The Cycle of Circular Economy Launched in Serbia

"After the arrival of major brands in Serbia, such as Fiat, Swarovski, Jura, Leoni, we are facing a large amount of industrial waste that remains on the territory of our country, which is actually not waste, but becomes material that can be reused in small and medium enterprises", states Siniša Mitrović, advisor for ecology at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS).

"Today we have companies that make construction boards from used tetrapak, which are very useful and of high quality, meaning that the cycle of circular economy is being launched, from waste to product", said Mitrović at the gathering "Circular Economy as a Chance for Serbia's Development".

As he points out, tools of the circular economy have been introduced into Serbia's industry to enable the launch of an investment cycle and create a market for secondary materials needed by our industry. As he added, the PKS is encouraged by the process of small and medium enterprises in Serbia recognizing that waste generated in large industries can be raw material for their production, while the creation of products from recycled materials could significantly reduce imported components in our country.

Due to inadequate waste treatment, the impact of climate change, and accidents that occur, Serbia, as he says, loses over 250 million euros annually, which he estimates is serious money needed by our economy.

"I believe that only with good waste management, the use of recycled components, energy security, and renewable sources, we could increase GDP growth by one percent annually", said Mitrović.

According to him, the inclusion of circular economy programs and good waste management into the Government's reforms is actually the key to the advancement of the Serbian economy. Radmila Šerović, Head of the Waste Management Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Ivana Radosavljević from the same Ministry, also emphasized the importance of environmental protection and the use of waste as a resource.

The strategic goals of the responsible Ministry, as they explained, are extending product lifespans, more raw materials, reducing waste disposal, and building regional sanitary landfills. Recycling in Serbia, as Šerović stated, has improved and is now at a level of about 18-20 percent when it comes to recycling all types of waste. Šerović also pointed out that Serbia is progressing significantly faster than countries in the region in some areas.

The GIZ IMPACT project leader, Klaus Schmit, said that Germany not only teaches Serbia in the field of circular economy, but that this is also an area where both countries can benefit. "The industry in Serbia is in transition", stated Schmit, noting that there are companies in Serbia that dismantle electronic waste, which is, as he says, "a chance for the development of the circular economy".