Public Consultation Held for Citizens, Entrepreneurs, and NGOs on the “Cross Waste” Project
“By purchasing a crusher for construction waste, the municipality of Brod will be able to repurpose that waste into material for filling gravel roads and promote more responsible waste management practices,” it was announced during today’s public consultation for citizens, entrepreneurs, and the NGO sector, held in the Municipality of Brod’s Assembly Hall.
This is one of the activities within a project initiated by the Municipality of Brod and the company “EKO-DUNAV” d.o.o. from Borovo, which has been approved for funding under the first call of the INTERREG IPA VI-A Cross-border Cooperation Program Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2022-2027.
Participants had the opportunity to watch a presentation and learn more about the project from Aleksandra Džabić, a graduate ecologist, who shared details about the project itself and sustainable waste disposal practices.
The main goal of the project is to improve sustainable development and environmental preservation in the municipalities of Brod (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Borovo (Croatia) by applying innovative models and approaches for managing construction waste through repurposing that waste as material for gravel roads and promoting responsible waste management practices.
“The project will provide a joint intervention in the program area from two countries, addressing the challenges of waste management by promoting sustainable construction waste management. It aims to improve existing infrastructure and raise awareness of waste management in the cross-border area, contributing to the development and preservation of the environment,” said Jovana Popadić, the project’s communication manager.
The project will last for 24 months, from June 15, 2024, to June 14, 2026, and is being implemented by the Municipality of Brod and the company “EKO DUNAV” d.o.o. from Borovo as the lead partner.
The project is valued at €841,445.40. The European Union will finance 85% of the project (€715,228.59), while the remaining 15% (€126,216.81) will be funded by project partners.
The main expected outcomes are: improved waste management competencies in the municipalities of Brod and Borovo, active participation of local communities in promoting sustainable environmental practices and waste management systems, development of a cross-border partnership model for access and exchange of experiences and knowledge in the field of waste management, and increased public awareness and participation in waste management systems through an educational promotional campaign.
The consultation was also attended by the Mayor of Brod, Milan Zečević, who said, “This project is very demanding, and it is therefore very important for us to remain consistent in its implementation.”
“Given Bosnia and Herzegovina’s pre-accession status, I believe this is an opportunity for our municipality to take advantage of every possibility to cooperate with the European Union and secure funding from available EU funds. The project is very demanding, and it is crucial that we stay committed to its implementation. I am confident that in the next year we will fulfill all project tasks and improve our municipality significantly in terms of ecology and waste management,” said Zečević.
