Manager's Word
After two years of intensive preparations and construction of necessary structures, in June 2005, we started together an important project with one single aim: to convert refuse into the useful waste which will be reused. First of all, we are grateful to the island residents who accepted the project and included themselves in it. This is the reason why today, in the prime selection, we select about 45% of waste which is an exceptional result even according to the European standards, not to mention the Croatian ones. We weren’t the first in this business, but today, we are by far the best.
Still, we can, we want and we must make it even better. According to the European directive, by the year 2020, 50% of the waste must be collected separately. We want to raise this level to the 80% which, according to our accomplished goals, isn’t impossible at all.
The project started in 2005 and and it is expected that by the end of September 2016 about 53 thousands tonnes of useful waste will be selected which would bring multiple benefits to the island and to the wider community. Here are the most important ones:
- significant ecological and social advantages
- 50 new employed workers
- disposal area saving
- significant reduction of CO2 emission responsible for global warming
- Krk became an ecologically acceptable destination which is exceptionally important for tourism as the most important source of economy on the island
- used paper collection saved about 14 thousands trees of chopping
Study named “Ecologically funded system of residual waste disposal on the island of Krk” was carried out in 2003 and provides the base for the present system. During the time, the initial study was revised by the analyses of the results accomplished in the more experienced regions (Northern Italy and Austria) which made us realize the waste collection system must be adjusted to the one called Door-to-door. It will be completed by the year 2020 through two stages.
The first stage, Door-to-Door, started in 2014 and included separation of organic and residual waste. All the users (except those in the historical town nucleuses) got separate bins and the necessary instructions. The same system was introduced on the whole island in next two years. At the same time, dumpsters for mentioned waste were removed from the streets.
The next stage starts in 2017 or 2018. It includes removal of all kinds of dumpsters from the streets and Door-to-door system introduction for all kinds of waste.
Beside all the benefits mentioned, one of the basic aims is to reduce waste production quantities which, after 2018, will not be allowed to be disposed on Treskavac disposal area. If the waste separation in the prime selection wouldn’t be increased, it would lead to significant price increase of our services.
In other words, disposal costs valid at the moment would increase for about ten times with changing our disposal area on the island with the regional one.
In the meantime, we work intensively on the preparation of a program which will stimulate hurriedly waste separation through reduced amounts of costs on our users’ bills. The program will start in 2016. Beside the reduced bills and separately collected waste increase, it will contribute to the energy sustainable island which would be accomplished to 2030. This will accelerate the island development and enable healthier living for our future generations.
Frane Mrakovčić,
Manager Ponikve eko otok Krk d.o.o.