Construction of Regional Waste Management Center in Kalenic for 15 local self-governments completed

The completion of the construction of the Regional Center “Eko-Tamnava” was marked yesterday in Kalenic near Ub. This is one of the most important projects in the field of municipal waste management in Serbia. It will solve the problem of waste disposal in 15 local self-governments in the Kolubara and Macva districts and three Belgrade municipalities.

The Regional Waste Management Center in Kalenic is the largest environmental project in the field of waste management in the past few decades. After years of waiting for its implementation, it has been intensively built over the past two years. Fifteen local self-governments participating in the project will receive the most modern green infrastructure system with a high level of environmental protection. This is the first in a series of modern centers that the state, with the help of foreign partners, will build by 2030.

– By 2030, we will build or improve regional centers from the north to the south of Serbia. In addition to the already operational Regional Centers, we will also have modern waste management systems in Sombor, Novi Sad, Indjija, Sremska Mitrovica, here on Ub, Nova Varos and Pirot. By the same year 2030, more than 3.7 million residents in as many as 80 cities and municipalities will have a waste management system that will treat 1.4 million tons of waste per year. What this means, so that citizens can better understand, today we are working to ensure that by 2030 every second kilogram of municipal waste is safely disposed of in a sanitary landfill – emphasizes Sara Pavkov, Minister of Environmental Protection.

The Regional Center in Kalenic was built with loan funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the French Development Agency. In addition to funds for the development of green infrastructure in Serbia, expert support and examples of good practice from project partners were also used.

– Through financing through a credit line of 300 million euros that was provided several years ago, during which hard work was done on the preparation and implementation of projects. The program includes seven regional centers covering 47 local government units, of which the one we are gathered here for today is the largest and I am truly pleased that it is the first to achieve concrete results in implementation – says Jelena Ceperkovic, Deputy Head at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Serbia.

– The project shows how our cooperation brings truly real and tangible benefits to citizens today and in the future. A cleaner environment, better public health and improved quality of life. It also represents an important step in the process of harmonizing Serbia with EU standards under Chapter 27 and the Green Agenda, as well as the solid waste management program in Serbia supported by AFD and EBRD – emphasizes Florence Ferrari, Ambassador of France to Serbia.

The Regional Center in Kalenic is about to undergo a trial run, and the first effects will be felt by more than half a million citizens in 15 local governments in the Kolubara and Macva districts and three Belgrade municipalities in July, when the delivery of the first quantities of waste should begin. The plan is to dispose of 165 thousand tons of waste annually according to the highest standards.

Ministarstvo zaštite životne sredine Republike Srbije

EBRD Evropska banka za obnovu i razvoj Beograd

Ambasada Republike Francuske Beograd

Ministry of Environmental Protection

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

AFD

EBRD

Embassy of France in Serbia

Sara Pavkov

Jelena Čeperković

Florance Ferrari

Regional Waste Management Center in Kalenić

Regional Municipal Waste Landfill Kalenić Lajkovac

Kalenić Ub