By Bojana Vlajcic

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Sweden are supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts to upgrade its solid waste management infrastructure.

A €2.5 million(US$2.6million) investment grant, extended by Sweden, will complement a €5 million EBRD loan, approved in 2019, for the construction of a regional solid-waste landfill site in Tuzla canton. 

Once completed, the new landfill will serve three municipalities, Zivinice, Banovici and Kladanj, with a total population of around 95,000. It will help reduce water and soil pollution and lower emissions of greenhouse gases. The construction of the new landfill site, which is currently underway, is being managed by regional solid-waste company Eko-Sep.

EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Manuela Naessl who signed the grant agreement in Sarajevo today, said: “We are committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in upgrading its environmental infrastructure. Building sanitary landfill sites and recycling systems will help to reduce pollution and create opportunities in the circular economy. We are pleased to join forces with Sweden on this important project.”

The EBRD will continue to work with the authorities in Tuzla canton to further upgrade the new landfill site. Subsequent phases of the project will involve the construction of a leachate treatment plant and a system to generate electricity from landfill gas.

In addition to Sweden, the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) has supported the investment by financing project implementation support to the tune of €360,000.

The EBRD has worked extensively in Bosnia and Herzegovina to promote the restructuring and expansion of the local private sector, forge closer linkages with wider regional markets and foster the more efficient and sustainable use of resources. The EBRD has invested €2.78 billion in 193 projects in the country to date.