Background
In the period 2002-2008, the total amount of all waste generated in Slovenia increased by 55%. In 2008 alone more than seven million tonnes of waste was produced, of which 900 000 tonnes (13%) was household waste. Around 60% of industrial and trade waste was estimated to have been recovered, but this was the case for only 15% of household waste. Furthermore, as much as 71% of municipal waste is calculated to have been disposed in 45 landfill sites for non-hazardous waste around Slovenia.
In 2009, the Slovenian Environmental Agency decided not to extend the licences for the operation of approximately 20 landfill sites. At the same time, there was a modification to the lists of waste types that could be sent to landfill. As a result, land-filling is no longer an option for many waste management companies, which now have an incentive to increase the recycling or recovery of municipal waste.
Many waste streams should and could be collected separately to facilitate treatment and the delivery of recycled products. However, the failure of local communities to properly separate household waste packaging is a major obstacle. In Slovenia, the availability of the infrastructure for collection of separated waste, including: tyres; medical and phytopharmaceuticals; electric and electronic equipment; and batteries is poorly known. Slovenia is currently unlikely to meet its required recycling quota for the period 2012 to 2016.
Objectives
The SEPARATE COLLECTION project’s overall objective is to increase the recovery and recycling of household waste, in line with European and Slovenian legislation. This will be achieved through communication campaigns, demonstration activities, competitions and debates to raise awareness of how and why waste should be separately collected.
The project will work to raise public awareness that the separate collection of municipal waste creates environmental benefits. It will also seek to promote the market for recycled products and the creation of new products from recycled waste, by highlighting the quality of recycled goods to the general public.
To address some of the key practical obstacles to waste recycling, the project will disseminate information on the infrastructure available for separate collection of municipal waste. This will focus on raising awareness about the kinds of items that are suitable for separate collection, the locations of collection centres, the timetables of collection activities and the fact that separated waste can be given away free of charge.
The project’s target is that at least 30% of all Slovenians between the ages 10 and 75 (i.e. at least 420 000 inhabitants) will be aware of the project information. Furthermore, at least 39000 children aged 6-15 will participate in actions for children.
Other public awareness targets include:
- 90% awareness of infrastructure for the separate collection of municipal waste;
- 40% awareness of where to put waste batteries for recycling/recovery;
- 70% awareness of where to put waste tyres for recycling/recovery.
Expected results:
- More than 70% of inhabitants using infrastructure for separate collection of municipal waste;
- 50% of inhabitants separating biodegradable waste;
- 10% increase in collection of separated household waste packaging;
- 25% increase in collection of separated waste electric and electronic equipment;
- 10% increase in collection of separated household waste medicals and waste phytopharmaceuticals.
Coordinator: SLOPAK DRUŽBA ZA RAVNANJE Z ODPADNO EMBALAŽO D.O.O.
Partners: Delo d.d., Slovenia
Duration: 01-SEP-2011 to 31-AUG-2014
Total budget: 671,558.00 €
EU contribution: 329,063.00 €
