Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, proves that high recycling targets are not only feasible, they also save money and create jobs. It is the first capital in Europe to declare the Zero Waste goal and today separately collects and recycles 61% of its municipal waste. By 2025, that number will be at least 75%.
What’s most impressive is the transition of Ljubljana towards zero waste. Before Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004, it didn’t even have a proper separate waste collection in place! Since their transition was so noticeable, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) did a case study on the city.
Executive Director of ZWE, Joan-Marc Simon said:
“The case study of Ljubljana proves that it is possible for newest member states to reach most ambitious recycling targets in only a decade whilst keeping record low waste generation and costs. There is no reason for other EU capitals or for the EU policy-makers to aim at less than what this experience proves as being possible and desirable.”
Facts and figures:
- Voka Snaga is the public company managing waste in Ljubljana and in 9 suburban municipalities serving around 380.000 residents.
- On average, they have reached levels of source separation of 61% whilst generating only 121kg of non-recyclable waste per inhabitant and year. To compare, the EU average level of source separation is 42% and a 285kg per inhabitant and year of residual waste.
- In under ten years, the country has become a frontrunner and is now 20% above the EU’s recycling rate and 10 points above the EU’s 2020 targets. On top of that, Ljubljana is committed to halving the amount of residuals and increasing separate collection to 78% by 2025.
- Voka Snaga waste department runs its own packaging-free vending machines for household basics. People can fill up soap from them, for example, in a reusable bottle they bring themselves.
- The streets are cleaned with collected rainwater and biodegradable detergent.
- Unwanted items can be dropped off at a reuse center where they are sorted, cleaned, and sold.
- There are containers for paper, packaging, glass, residual and biodegradable waste throughout the city. In the historical city center, where space is scarce, Voka Snaga installed 67 units of containers underground; the bins open with a card issued to residents.
Avoiding Incineration Is Possible
Ljubljana is proof that avoiding incineration is doable. The country has also proven that going towards zero waste in a very short time is completely feasible. They have made this great achievement possible through a system of door-to-door separate collections. That has made all the difference.
Normally, such a system has only been used in small villages. However, Ljubljana shows us all that effective door-to-door separate collections don’t only fall in the realm of small villages, but also work in large cities. In doing so, Ljubljana has managed to become the best performing EU capital, keeping one of the lowest waste management costs in Europe.
There is another place in the world that has been successfully 100% zero waste for 20 years already – a town in Japan called Kamikatsu. The whole world now just has to follow these examples for a better life for all.
Burning or burying our waste is an outdated idea that we now know leads to horrible health problems. Simply preventing, reusing, and recycling waste instead creates jobs and resilience, saves money, and protects the environment and public health.
