The Canton of Sarajevo will soon get a new Jezero Recycling Yard, i.e. a collection center for recycling, where citizens can deposit different types of recyclable waste for further processing, sorting and recycling. Considering that it will be near the hospital, the maternity hospital, the parents’ house, and even the school, the question arises as to whether it has a place there?
With the installation of a protective fence, the construction of the new recycling yard “Jezero” in the municipality of Centar began. Citizens, as well as passers-by, are angry that the recycling yard is being built right next to the hospital and school. Citizens are afraid that the waste that will be placed there will spread stench and impurities, which may affect the health of residents and passers-by. However, the Public Utility Company RAD claims that there is no reason to fear. And ecologists agree with that.
MIRZA RAMIĆ, spokesperson of PUK “RAD” KS
“There is no disposal of that household waste, such as food scraps and similar things that could create unpleasant odors. For that reason, there is no possibility of any fear.”
ANES PODIĆ, Association “Eco Action”
“As long as citizens can throw anything and everything into the container, the recycling yards will be unused.”
Although the construction started with the installation of the fence, the cantonal Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment claims that there is no legal basis for the construction of a recycling yard in the Municipality of Centar.
ALMIR BEČAREVIĆ, Minister of Communal Economy KS
“A study was done on the locations of recycling yards in Niš and green islands in 2019 in the area of the Municipality of Centar, where zero recycling yards are planned for these needs, that is, none are planned.”
When we asked the Municipality of Centar whether all permits for the construction and use of the land had been acquired, they replied that the land in question is owned municipality, and that as a participant in the project Efficient Waste Management System, the Municipality of Centar accepted the proposed location.
“The recycling yard is being formed on an already asphalted surface that in the previous period served as a parking area, so we cannot talk about construction, but about arranging the space, i.e. placing closed containers for accepting different types of waste.”
In the Jezero recycling yard, citizens will be able to dispose of glass, plastic, paper, wood, and electronic waste:computers, light bulbs, small amounts of bulky and construction waste, as well as car tires. The truck of the utility company RAD will take the collected waste to the central recycling yard of the Smiljevići landfill, and improper disposal of waste will be sanctioned.