Zagreb prepares draft waste management plan

The draft waste management plan of the City of Zagreb is establishing a framework for the reduction in waste generation and for sustainable waste management.

Croatia’s capital Zagreb has launched a public consultation on the strategic impact assessment study of its waste management plan for the period until to 2029 and on the draft waste management plan of the City of Zagreb for the period until 2029.

The waste management plan is a key strategic document that will determine the further development of the waste management system, the local authority underscored.

The public consultation started on January 5 and it will last until February 4. The new plan will replace the waste management plan for the period 2018–2023.

The new plan foresees further reduction of the amount of waste ending up in landfills, and an increase in separate waste collection and recycling. It also envisages the phased shutdown of the Jakuševec landfill, which could be used only by 2029.

One of the main projects is the construction of the Zagreb waste management center

The plan is to establish a comprehensive waste management system, aligned with national and the EU’s circular economy goals.

One of the main projects foreseen by the plan is the construction of the Zagreb waste management center, in the city’s Resnik district. The facility will allow processing of mixed municipal waste, biowaste, and separately collected recyclable waste.

“The construction of the center is crucial both for closing the Jakuševec landfill and for ending Zagreb’s dependence on private companies in waste management. The center is expected to begin trial operations in late 2028,” Mayor of Zagreb Tomislav Tomašević said.

Project design for the waste management center has been developed

The plan includes the expansion of the network of underground and semi-underground containers and the establishment of a reuse center as a central point for collecting and redistributing materials that can be reused.

Special emphasis has been placed on reducing soil and water pollution, combating improperly disposed waste, reducing food waste, encouraging reuse, as well as involving children and youth through waste separation in schools and educational programs.

The City of Zagreb presented the project design of the Zagreb waste management center in November 2024.

The local authority claims it would be a modern facility that would allow for the final closure of the Jakuševec landfill.