Waste - State and impacts (Montenegro)

Even though waste statistics in Montenegro are not well developed and there is a lack of data on overall waste generation and on specific waste streams, it is clear that waste is a significant problem. Improper disposal, usually on simple waste dumps both legal and illegal, is a significant source of air, soil, and surface and groundwater pollution. Regarding municipal waste generation, one of the EEA Core Set of Indicators, estimates range from 0.8 kg/person/day (Master Plan) to 1 kg/person/day (official statistics).

Quantity of Waste Generated

This report is based on the data from the Strategic Master Plan for Waste Management as baseline data.

Since the geographic structure of Montenegro varies considerably in ways relevant for municipal waste generation, handling, transport and disposal, the assessment of quantities of waste generated Montenegro is divided into three regions, corresponding also to the official regional division:

▫         mountainous (northern) region;

▫         central region;

▫         coastal region.

Seen by region, the Strategic Master Plan assumes the following daily waste quantities per capita:

▫         mountain region 0.6 kg/person/day;

▫         central region 0.8 kg/person/day;

▫         coastal region 0.9 kg/person/day.

According to the Strategic Master Plan, the quantity of waste generated by visitors is 1.5 kg/visitor/day. The Master Plan also includes the waste generated by residents of Montenegro with those generated by refugees – 0.25 kg/person/day.

In line with the above, annual waste generation in Montenegro is determined as per the following table:

Table 1 Quantity of Waste Generated

Composition of Municipal Waste

The composition of municipal waste in regions in Montenegro is given in the following table (as per the Strategic Master Plan).

Table 2  Overview of Average Annual Composition of Municipal Waste (%)

Hazardous Municipal Waste

In Montenegro there are no assessments of the types and quantities of hazardous waste from households. Considering that the generation of these types of waste is not monitored separately, but is seen within overall quantities of municipal waste generated, data on annual quantities generated is not available. Experience from other countries ranges from 0.4 to 4.7 kg/person/year, meaning that the annual quantity generated in Montenegro ranges between 250 and 3 000 t. Based on indicators in countries with a similar level of economic development, these figures are probably closer to the lower limit. In the Strategic Master Plan, the expected quantity of hazardous waste generated in households is assumed to be 950 t/year.

 Waste Treatment and Recycling

Recycling of municipal waste, with small exceptions, is not done and there are no proper waste recycling facilities.

The quantities of selectively collected secondary raw materials in Montenegro in 2006 are shown in the following table:

      Table 3 Quantities of selectively collected secondary raw materials

Waste Disposal

The Podgorica regional sanitary landfill for the municipalities of Podgorica, Danilovgrad and Cetinje was built in 2007 and is currently used to dispose of waste collected within the municipalities of Podgorica and Danilovgrad.

In other towns waste is mostly disposed at sites some of which are located in ways that pose a threat to public health and the environment. With a small number of exceptions, these sites are quite poorly managed. None of the locations were selected in accordance with environmental protection principles and proper technical protection measures are not undertaken – collected waste is directly placed on the ground, with no protective layers.

Amounts of Hazardous Waste

In the Strategic Master Plan it is assumed that the following amounts of hazardous waste are generated:

Table 4 Presumed Amounts of Hazardous Waste