BiH does not have a Solution for the Disposal of Animal Waste

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has not resolved the issue of animal waste disposal, because there are no appropriate facilities. This was confirmed by the line entity ministries, but also by the producers who are facing this issue. Animal by-products and animal waste are disposed of as municipal waste in landfills that are not subject to veterinary supervision.

Pollution of soil, surface and groundwater, air, the spread of infectious diseases, unpleasant odors, and even the outbreak of fires in illegal landfills – these are the consequences due to inadequate disposal of animal waste. This waste, which should be treated in incinerators in BiH, is in the gray zone, said Muris Mujanovic, who has been producing and processing meat and dairy products since 1960.

“This waste is currently disposed of by digging pits in municipal landfills, more precisely with the process of incineration under the control of competent inspectors, so there is no adequate solution for disposing of first category animal waste,” told meat and meat products producer Muris Mujanovic.

Animal waste of the second and third category marked as non-hazardous waste for the production of organic fertilizers and soil improvement is disposed of in this area. About 1000 tons are produced annually.

“We plan to expand these capacities by building a plant for the production of electricity on biomass and biogas. It will be a continuation of this project and facility for the disposal of food of animal origin of the first category, or incinerator,” Mujanic pointed out.

The construction of a collection point for the temporary storage of animal waste in cold stores was planned in the federal waste management plan for 2012-2017.

In the Federation of BiH (FBiH), there are animal waste incinerators located within other companies. There is also a Strategy and Study on Animal Waste Management funded by the European Union (EU), according to the Veterinary Office. This partially solved the issue of waste disposal. As they said, neither negligence nor lack of money is the problem.

The Center for Development of Agriculture and Villages from Banja Luka says that they did what the state should have done.

“We built a cattle cemetery at the Manjaca development center, dug grave pits, arranged the space with the basic elements of sanitary and technical conditions so that we could stop the disposal of animal waste in illegal places in a way that was life-threatening,” added the director of the Center for Development of Agriculture and Villages of Banja Luka, Drasko Ilic.

The relevant ministry of the Republika Srpska (RS) said that in accordance with the Rulebook on conditions for cattle cemeteries and grave pits, harmless removal of animal by-products was performed and that some entities have signed contracts with landfills, where their harmless disposal is performed. Statistics show that during 2018, more than eight thousand tons of animal waste were collected in RS. In 2019, public utility companies in the FBiH collected more than two thousand tons, BHRT writes.

E.Dz.