Luka Dakskobler

Stories: THE GREEN CAPITAL'S RACE FOR ZERO WASTE

Ljubljana is the first European capital to commit itself to zero waste goal. Fifteen years ago, almost all waste ended up in its landfill, now the city recycles 68%, high above the EU’s avarage, of its waste and plans to reach 75% by 2025. It is implementing all steps of zero waste strategy – prevention, recycling and reuse. The city now produces only 115 kg of residual waste per capita annually! 

When the city applied to be the Green Capital of Europe its weakness was the lack of an incineration plant. But they turned it around and used it to their advantage. The city decided to go zero waste.  

The success came through an effective waste separation strategy beginning as early as in 2002 with separate bins for biodegradable waste, and continuing with a big step in 2013 when every doorstep in the city received separate bins for packaging and paper waste while the residual waste collection was cut in half. Today every doorstep has separate bins for biodegradables, paper, packaging and residual waste.  

Adding to door to door collection of waste, the Regional Center for Waste Management (RCERO Ljubjana), the most modern mechanical biological treatment plant in Europe, further processes residual waste and recycles 95% of it. Today, less than 5% of the city’s residual waste ends up in a landfill. 

In the historical city center, Ljubljana’s waste management company Voka Snaga installed 67 units of underground containers, and there is a waste bin with seperate bags for paper, packaging and biodegradable waste on every corner. At public events, Voka Snaga provides seperate bins and staff to help people with proper disposal. 

The city is on its way to a strong circular economy, building a strong network of companies and institutions that commited themselves to it and nurturing a popular culture of reuse and recycling. The REUSE center is increasingly popular. The city companies and institutions use sanitary paper recycled from juice and milk packaging. Packaging-free stores are popping up. 

Full article on The Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/may/23/zero-recycling-to-zero-waste-how-ljubljana-rethought-its-rubbish  

  • International guests visit the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests visit the RCERO Ljubljana on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests visit the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests visit the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests visit the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe visit the bioreactor at the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on May 8, 2019.
  • International guests on their zero waste study tour of Slovenia organized by Zero Waste Europe visit the bioreactor at the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on May 8, 2019.
  • A garbage grab crane loads residual waste into a shredder in the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biologial treatment plant. The shredded waste then proceeds to sieving and separation. 95% of residual waste is separated into recyclable materials.
  • A crane operator navigates a loaded grab to the shredder opening in the residual waste processing facility at RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant on May 8, 2019.
  • At RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant, shredded and sieved waste travels on conveyor belts through seperators that separate 95% of residual waste into recyclable materials.
  • At RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant, shredded and sieved waste travels on conveyor belts through seperators that separate 95% of residual waste into recyclable materials.
  • A loader dumps biomass into a sieving machine in the composting facility of RCERO Ljubljana.
  • A worker inspects composting bio waste  at the RCERO Ljubljana recovery plant.
  • Four kinds of remains that are left after processing biological and residual waste at the RCERO Ljubljana Mechanical biological treatment plant include digestate, compost and solid fuel.
  • The RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant  processes biological waste into high quality gardening compost.
  • The balcony benches at the RCERO Ljubljana's headquarters are made from used bathtubs.
  • The RCERO mechanical biological treatment plant. Green facilities process residual waste while orange and red facilities process biodegradable waste.
  • The city of Ljubljana is seen over the green hill of Ljubljana's old landfill and its methane gas pipes on May 10, 2019.
  • A methane gas outlet is seen in Ljubljana's landfill on the outskirts of town behind the RCERO Ljubljana mechanical biological treatment plant, on May 10, 2019.
  • A mound of less than 5% of landfilled residual waste is seen in Ljubljana's landfill on May 10, 2019.
  • A deer grazes in Ljubljana's old landfill on May 10, 2019.
  • Due to prolonged deal negotiations between the government and recycling companies waste packaging waits to be processed at the Regional waste management center RCERO Ljubljana on May 10,2019.
  • Waste cemetery candles wait for processing in the Regional waste management center in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019. Slovenians use as much as 16 million cemetery candles a year which ranks the country third in the world.
  • There are 67 units of underground containers  for paper, packaging, glass, residual and biodegradable waste throughout the city.
  • Despite clear instructions and communication activites of Voka Snaga waste management company, some residents still dispose their waste improperly.
  • Early in the morning, waste collectors go out in special garbage trucks to empty underground containers.
  • A street sweeper cleans the city streets using rainwater collected from the rooftops of Voka Snaga's company facilities and biodegradable detergent.
  • Small business that produce large ammounts of waste in the city center must buy bags for waste separation and leave them on their doorstep in the morning for door to door collection.
  • Waste collectors empty waste packaging bins door to door in a single-family house area of Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • Waste collectors empty waste packaging bins door to door in a single-family house area of Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • Waste collectors empty waste packaging bins in front of an apartment building in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • Waste collectors empty waste packaging bins in front of an apartment building in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • Waste collectors empty waste packaging bins in front of an apartment building in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • Senada inspects and stores discarded useable items in the storage of the Reuse center on May 8, 2019..
  • Customers browse through the Reuse center store on May 8, 2019.
  • A customer uses one of two packaging-free vending machines called BERT  that offers 18 liquid products in Ljubljana, May 8, 2019.
  • A man discards medicine at a civil amenity site in Ljubljana on May 8, 2019.
  • At the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana, residents dispose of old furniture on May 10, 2019. At the site,35 fractions of waste can be disposed of, including electronic devices, batteries and medicine. They can also bring in items for reuse.
  • A resident disposes of plastic and old furniture at the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.  At the site, residents can dispose of 35 fractions of waste, including electronic devices, batteries and medicine. They can also bring in items for reuse.
  • Residents dispose of old furniture at the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.  At the site, residents can dispose of 35 fractions of waste, including electronic devices, batteries and medicine. They can also bring in items for reuse.
  • A Voka Snaga worker guides residents to containers suitable for the waste they brought to the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana on May 10, 2019.
  • During weekends, the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana can hardly handle the crowd.
  • During weekends, the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana can hardly handle the crowd.
  • A man disposes of scrap metal at the Barje civic amenity site in Ljubljana on May 11, 2019. The ammount of heavy metals in the container pictured here accumulated in just ten hours.
  • Waste bins containing seperate bags for paper, packaging and biodegradable waste are very frequent in the old city center of Ljubljana.
  • Waste bins containing seperate bags for paper, packaging and biodegradable waste are very frequent in the old city center of Ljubljana that welcomes the highest number of tourists. In 2018, the number of overnight stays in Ljubljana reached over a million and a half - first time in history.
  • Waste bins containing seperate bags for paper, packaging and biodegradable waste are very frequent in the old city center of Ljubljana that welcomes the highest number of tourists. In 2018, the number of overnight stays in Ljubljana reached over a million and a half - first time in history.
  • A customer uses one of two packaging-free vending machines called BERT  that offers 18 liquid products in Ljubljana, May 8, 2019. Using your own bottle or the one provided by BERT customers can buy shampoos, detergents,  juices, several types of vinegar and oil.
  • Voka Snaga, Ljubljana's waste management company, provides separate bins for packaging, biological and residual waste and staff at major public events like Open Kitchen (pictured here), a popular food market with over 50 vendors and up to 10,000 visitors daily. They separately collect about 95% of waste generated at the event.
  • Voka Snaga, Ljubljana's waste management company, provides separate bins for packaging, biological and residual waste and staff at major public events like Open Kitchen (pictured here), a popular food market with over 50 vendors and up to 10,000 visitors daily. They separately collect about 95% of waste generated at the event.
  • Voka Snaga, Ljubljana's waste management company, provides separate bins for packaging, biological and residual waste and staff at major public events like Open Kitchen (pictured here), a popular food market with over 50 vendors and up to 10,000 visitors daily. They separately collect about 95% of waste generated at the event.
  • Voka Snaga, Ljubljana's waste management company, provides separate bins for packaging, biological and residual waste and staff at major public events like Open Kitchen (pictured here), a popular food market with over 50 vendors and up to 10,000 visitors daily. They separately collect about 95% of waste generated at the event.
  • Voka Snaga, Ljubljana's waste management company, provides separate waste bins and staff at major public events like Open Kitchen (pictured here), a popular food market with over 50 vendors and up to 10,000 visitors daily. They also provide separate bins for vendors. They separately collect about 95% of waste generated at the event.
  • Voka Snaga workers regularly clean the streets of the historical city center of Ljubljana.
  • Voka Snaga workers regularly clean the streets of the historical city center of Ljubljana.
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