Jems
A round table entitled “Circular Economy and Waste Separation: First Results of Pilot Activities” was held in Banja Luka on December 22, 2025, within the framework of the international CircleAware project, implemented with the support of the Interreg IPA CBC Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro programme.
During the round table, it was emphasized that the recycling rate in the region is extremely low, which further highlights the importance of this and similar projects that contribute to raising awareness among citizens as well as decision-makers, and accelerate the transition toward a circular economy.
The Director of the Institute for Protection and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska, Dr. Predrag Ilić, pointed out that within the project the Institute equipped three schools with waste separation containers and composters, with the aim of educating children and enabling the practical production of compost. “Kotor and Trilj will provide bins and containers for all households, and the establishment of a digital platform dedicated to the circular economy is also planned,” Ilić emphasized.
Komunalno Kotor is also actively involved in the project, with a particular focus on the experience gained from operating the existing composting facility in Kotor. The project coordinator from Komunalno Kotor, Jelena Radunović, stated that the City of Trilj plans to develop a similar composting model adapted to local needs, while in the area of Kotor the focus has been placed on primary waste separation, namely the division into wet and dry fractions, in order to introduce composting of organic waste. “Through the project, containers for waste sorting have been procured, as well as a smaller truck adapted for movement through narrow city streets,” Radunović noted.
She added that an information and educational campaign is planned, and that a competition for primary and secondary school students has already been organized, with the aim of actively involving them in waste separation.
The round table brought together representatives of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska with their associates, the Institute of Public Health, as well as numerous experts and practitioners in the field of environmental protection. Among the participants was the Assistant Minister for Environmental Protection, Duško Solomun.
The importance of the circular economy for public health was also addressed by Dr. Dušanka Danojević, a specialist in hygiene and environmental health, who emphasized that in the 21st century it is necessary to direct plastics and other materials toward circular flows. “Environmental pollution can be significantly reduced by implementing activities such as waste separation and directing materials into multiple recycling cycles,” Danojević stressed.
The organization of this round table represents an important step in strengthening regional cooperation and knowledge exchange, and confirms the role of the CircleAware project as a significant mechanism for improving sustainable waste management and the development of the circular economy in the region.
