30.08.2011.

ABOUT GREEN INITIATIVE

Green Initiative is a network of 22 citizen’s organizations of whose activities in the following 16 months will be oriented towards improvement of waste management system.

The network consists of the following organizations:

1. Balkan Community Initiative Fund (BCIF)
2. Young Researchers of Serbia (YRS)
3. European Movement in Serbia (EMINS)
4. Group 484
5. IDC Serbia
6. Center for development of Social entrepreneurship (CDSE)
7. YUROM Center Nis
8. Center of Modern Skills (CMS)
9. Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (BFPE)
10. Network of local ecology organizations gathered within Green List of Serbia

The initiative is supported by USAID (United States Agency for International Development) as a donor, and ISC (Institute for Sustainable Communities) as an implementing partner.  

 The Project Objective is to contribute to the establishment of functional mechanisms that stimulate primary selection of waste through the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders, thereby supporting the reform of waste management practices in Serbia.

 

The Project’s Specific Objectives include:

• Improving the conditions necessary for the inclusion of scrap collectors in the waste management supply chain through the provision of support from the Environmental Protection Fund
• Establishing three social enterprises for scrap collectors that promote the concept of social entrepreneurship and support the inclusion of individual collectors into existing support networks
• Establishing a system for developing and implementing local and regional waste management plans in 24 Local Self Governments and four regions in Serbia
• Increasing the participation of citizens, local institutions and recycling businesses in 24 towns in the field of waste management.

 

FOUR ASPECTS OF THE GREEN INITIATIVE:

1. ECOLOGY

Based on estimates, in Serbia more than 40% of the total generated communal waste is thrown away on illegal dumps throughout the country. There are 4.481 illegal dumps usually located by the rivers, or even in city centers and parks. This causes a great damage to natural recourses and pollution of natural environment, but also creates a serious health danger. 

Through improving practices of waste management and involving citizens, public and private companies, government and non government sector, each equally important and responsible in this process, the green initiative will increase awareness of the significance of environmental protection.

Positive skills and practices which will be developed through the planned activities will continue on beyond the immediate project time frame and will be strongly motivated with the idea that we are doing something good for ourselves and for our joint future, preserving and enhancing the nature.

2. SOCIAL – ECONOMIC

The subject of ecology is closely connected to social and economy issues and if combined in an optimal manner, all three areas could reap significant benefits. Development of the existing model of waste management and recycling process brings positive results not only to ecology but to economy as well, in several aspects.

One of the significant aspects is an improved status of individual waste collectors  .Most of the individual collectors are Roma national minority members, and according to Roma associations, they collect approximately 75% of total recycling material in Serbia, hence, they have a significant role in the recycling process. Bringing them into the waste management system, with a clearly defined position, rights and obligations, will be one of our main goals. In order to achieve that, we will focus on providing conditions for permanent funding of programs which will support organized and institutional functioning of individual collectors of secondary raw materials. Strengthening their position within the waste management system would benefit the budget as the revenues from income taxes, pension and health insurance would increase parallel with relieving the burden  to the already overstretched social care system

In general, if we take a look at the results that EU countries have already achieved, and that is that they in average recycle 50% of the waste, while in Serbia that percentage is 5 times lower, and that recycling industry across the world makes 160 billions of US dollars of profits per year and employs over 1.5 million people, and the estimation is that Serbia loses at least 50 million of Euros on waste that could be recycled, than it is more than convincing fact that we need to focus on these activities and do our best to improve them, for the sake of our own prosperity.

3. RECYCLING

By throwing waste on landfills, we seriously damage our local ecosystems causing pollution of the local environment and increasing health hazards among the local population. This practice leads to the pollution of the nature and its resources which are our life sources. In that way, the garbage that we thought we threw away is coming back to us.

It is important that we know that waste is not garbage, and that we need to treat it as a usable material that we can recycle, and reuse as secondary raw material. There are numerous positive aspects from recycling: generally it decreases the amount of waste and preserves nature from pollution, it keeps the natural sources from overuse, it helps economy by using secondary raw materials, but also creates a possibility for economic growth (recycling industry creates new jobs and good profit).

It is estimated that currently 97% of waste in Serbia ends up on landfills, while Austria recycles 97% of total waste, with only 3% of waste disposed of on landfills. Compared to the results that EU countries already achieved (in average they recycle 50% of the waste), percentage of recycled waste in Serbia is 5 time less (8-10%).

According to this we can say that the recycling industry in Serbia is at the very beginnings. We see this is as a challenge and an opportunity. So, we will aim to establish 3 models of social entrepreneurship in the field of electric, electronic and plastic waste management and endeavor to integrate them into existing networks of social entrepreneurship, which will encourage solving a problem of individual collectors as well.

By improving the recycling industry we also preserve natural environment and help the economy growth. Recycling industry in world employs over 1.5 million of people, and makes profit of 160 billion of US dollars per year.

4. ORGANIZATIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY – ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF CITIZENS

Organizations of citizens play a key role in this project. We recognize the citizens as a powerful and valuable resource. Our joined energy and specific enthusiasm will inspire others to join us and give their contribution to improvement of waste removal and recycling process. Participating actively in fun, but useful events and activities, together with the citizens we will collect 4000 kg of waste. By doing so, we seek to develop quality habits among citizens in selection of waste. Habits that they will continue with even after are motivated with the idea that we are doing something good for ourselves and for our joined future.

Conducting a wide range of activities which will include implementing procedures of waste removal at the specific and regular place, dumpsters for recycling materials, and demonstrating and practicing a proper selection manner, in simple but entertaining way, these activities will bring closer together citizens in their local communities. On the other hand, it will set up a route for a continuous activity, and will attract the interest of companies whose main activity is in waste processing and recycling.