How many millions is there in Vinca? - Belgrade is waiting for construction of utility waste incernator, French CNIM group interested in cooperation

Recent blockade of Vinca paralyzed Belgrade for three days and showed us once again to what extent waste management issue is important. While developed countries make “business” out of this, we have hectares of waste dwelling under landfills.

The mentioned Vinca, environmental black spot of Serbia, has been waiting for years, that announcements of local and republic authorities come true. Sinisa Mali made the last statement only a few days ago.

French CNIM group which built and exploits 7 incinerators of utility waste Europe-wide is one of the companies interested in cooperation with our country.

Last year, the Regional Manager at CNIM, in charge of the Balkans, Mohamed Belkacemi visited Belgrade where he presented to the mayors from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina modern waste treatment methods which the Group uses. We talked with this expert when we recently visited Triverval Grignon, near Paris.
(Modern design of Baku-based facility)

According to his opinion, our two-million population city will need a big incinerator, of optimal capacity of some 700-800.000 tons of waste per year.

- Majority of European cities has incinerators – Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Warsaw, Prague, etc. Apart from Serbia, Romania does not have an incinerator. CNIM is now talking with authorities in Bucharest because they are also thinking about this project - Belkacemi says.

How to find funds

City administration in Belgrade claims that this year a significant steps have been taken in solving the Vinca issue although it is not very clear what they are referring to.. Until the moment this text was finished, we did not get an answer what was done in 2014.

In April, the Assembly of the City of Belgrade made a decision on development of the Detailed regulation plan of the Vinca sanitary landfill which should present the first step on the way ahead of us.

Rough estimations published by the Ministry and the City show that in the development and expansion of the Vinca landfill and the construction of co generative facility as well as separation and recycling, a total of EUR 250-300 mil. It is clear that our budget cannot support that activity so the question of how we will find funds is the right question.

European funds can be used for these kinds of projects and our collocutor from CNIM says that this is one of the good ways to build incinerators in Serbia.

Belkacemi says the main parameters, when feasibility study and business plan are done – waste quantity, heat energy produced and price at which it can be sold as well as electricity price you will trade in. Apart from that, there is a waste disposal fee for which citizens are ready to pay. It is sometimes a political question as well.

He adds that the price of construction of one incinerator with the capacity of 100.000 tons is some EUR 100 mil.

The center for valorization of waste in Grignon at Paris is a partnership of CNIM and local self-governance. It is about 107 French municipalities where some 440.000 people live.

40 years of partnership

The complex comprises two parts – an incinerator and the center for waste comprises two parts – incinerator and the waste triage center. Annually, CNIM in Grignon processes 220.000 tons of waste (some 20.000t is recycled, the leftovers are burnt).

According to the contract on public-private partnership, the Center for waste valorization belongs to the local self-governance and CNIM (which built it) only exploits it. More precisely, municipalities collect fees from citizens for utility services (waste collection and transport) and then they pay to CNIM waste treatment i.e. incineration per kilogram. Apart from that, CNIM earns by selling heat and electricity energy and waste which is an incineration leftover is used for asphalting and recycled products.

(Photo: Ivana Vuksa)

Belkacemi says this way of heating is remunerative for households as well.

Our collocutor points out that gas processing is also carried out at the Grignon-based Center for waste valorization which is extremely important for environmental protection. The European regulations are very strict and constant gas emission control at many levels is carried out, Belkacemi says. He claims that all parameters which are controlled are far below maximum EU proscribes.

Recycling first

If modern technology is used and all regulations are fulfilled, waste incinerators pollute less than cars, Belkacemi claims and remind that the Prince of Monaco allowed that an incinerator should be built only 300 meters far from his residence.

At the end, it must not be forgotten that incarnation is only one of the measures for waste problem-solving. Waste prevention, separate collection and recycling come first. What cannot be used at all should be burnt.

Milica Stevuljevic