THE O-DVA-JA-MO PROJECT WAS PRESENTED TO THE YOUNGEST CITIZENS OF BOGATIC

On May 25, the second promotion of the Project for Household Waste Separation "O-DVA-JA-MO" was organized on the plateau in front of the "Mika Mitrović" elementary school in Bogatić. Sixth grade pupils of this educational institution learned about the importance of proper waste separation and how to care for the natural environment of their local community. At two promo booths, project ambassadors distributed promotional material, and a knowledge quiz was organized for pupils.

"Within the project implemented as part of the IPA program in 2017, the municipality received a 20 cubic meter truck, nine blue containers for metal, plastic and paper and 33 yellow containers for glass, as well as 1,842 blue bins with a volume of 240 litres. The value of the project is 200 thousand euros, and the municipality of Bogatić participated with 15 thousand euros. We had a official launch several months ago, the first results are very favourable. We are the smallest in the system, a settlement with about 5,500 inhabitants, and the level of quality of separated waste is more than 90 percent in every round that PUC "Bogatić" takes away," said Darko Mašić from the LSG of Bogatić.

The director of PUC "Bogatić" Vladan Popadić pointed out that thanks to the project, the work of that company had been improved.

"By hiring vehicles and equipment, we relieved certain personnel and technical capacities and facilitated the work itself in the territory of Bogatić. We have created the conditions for extending the service to seven remaining villages, so that the PUC covers all 14 villages on the territory of the municipality. All daily collected waste is deposited at the Srem-Mačva Regional Waste Management Centre. In the town of Bogatić itself, we applied the model of primary waste separation, the collection of recyclable fractions, separated from the remaining flow of municipal waste. By placing blue bins in the households of our fellow citizens, we have created the conditions for them to properly separate waste at the point of origin. We collect blue bins in an organized manner once a month and it has already become regular practice. This has already been the fourth month where fellow citizens comply with the instructions in a high percentage, which is the result of good information through the distribution of flyers and promotions,” - explained Popadić.

Properly separated waste is deposited at the Regional Waste Management Centre Srem-Mačva free of charge, and approximately 2,500 kilograms are collected during one cycle. Yellow containers have been placed on the territory of the entire municipality near catering establishments for the bi-monthly collection of packaging waste, i.e. glass, and during one cycle 2,600 kilograms are being collected. The PUC director expressed his hope that such a method of waste separation will take root on the territory of the entire municipality, with the aim of protecting the environment.

The "O-DVA-JA-MO" project is implemented in 17 municipalities in Serbia with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, the European Union and the Embassy of Sweden. The goal of the project is to recycle part of the waste generated in households, in order to reduce the amount that ends up in landfills, and increase the recycling rate in these municipalities to 15%.

The Waste Management Program in Serbia 2022-2031, adopted by the Government of Serbia as part of EU accession, aims to improve the municipal waste management system through an increased rate of recycling, reduced disposal of biodegradable waste in landfills and reduced disposal of waste in unhygienic landfills.

Now everyone can separate waste fast and easily!