A panel discussion was held at Villa Nika in Kaštel Stari "Kaštela waste in numbers – where are we now and where can we get to?" organized by the City of Kaštela and the utility company Zeleno i modro doo, a presentation on the state and development of the waste management system was held by Iva Barun, head of operations at Zeleno i modro doo
The panel also presented the broader context of waste management in Croatia, according to which almost 1,88 million tons of municipal waste were generated in 2024, or 486 kilograms per capita, while the recycling rate still does not reach the prescribed target.
Speaking of Kaštela, it was pointed out that until 2019 the waste collection system was unsustainable due to population growth and tourist burden, which resulted in overflowing containers and a damaged image of the city. The introduction of a "door-to-door" system and the installation of semi-underground containers in the old city centers began the modernization of the system, in line with current regulations.
Today, more than 15.600 users are included in the public service system, and citizens have access to two recycling yards, free annual bulky waste collection, and the option of separating waste without additional fees, since only mixed municipal waste collection is charged.
Data shows that in the period from 2019 to 2024, the amount of mixed municipal waste decreased by almost 3.700 tons, while the amount of separately collected waste increased by as much as 250 percent compared to 2020. The waste separation rate in Kaštela in 2024 was 29,14 percent.
Despite visible progress, stagnation has been recorded in the reduction of mixed waste in the last two years, which indicates the need to further strengthen education and measures to reduce waste generation, especially in the biowaste segment.
– Kaštela has made great strides in waste separation in the last few years, but the growth in total quantities shows that we need to work even harder on educating citizens and reducing waste generation in order to reach the goal of 40 percent separation in the near future – concluded Iva Barun.
Photo: Andrej Valentić
