Croatia imports 871,000 tonnes of waste annually. The ministry reveals what dominates
Translated from Croatian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
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Official statement
Context piece
- Croatia imported 871,255 tonnes of waste in the latest official annual figures, with non-hazardous waste accounting for about 864,000 tonnes.
- Metals, paper, cardboard and waste wood made up most non-hazardous imports, which companies process as secondary raw materials.
- The ministry said Croatian law bans imports of hazardous waste for disposal and restricts other waste shipments through notification, approval and monitoring procedures.
Croatia imports 871,255 tonnes of waste a year, but the overwhelming majority is non-hazardous material, according to the Environment and Green Transition Ministry. About 864,000 tonnes fall into that category, while hazardous waste accounts for roughly 7,100 tonnes.
The ministry said imported volumes have stabilized in recent years. Waste imports increased after Croatia joined the European Union and reached their highest level in 2021. The ministry gave the figures to Hina after the agency requested a year-by-year breakdown of imported waste and its types.
Metals, paper, cardboard and waste wood make up most of the non-hazardous waste. Croatian companies process the materials and use them as secondary raw materials in production. In 2024, 64% of imported waste, or 555,406 tonnes, came from EU member states. Another 22,448 tonnes, about 2%, came from OECD countries outside the EU, while 293,401 tonnes, or 34%, came from other countries.
Systematic monitoring of waste shipments in Croatia began in 2004, and after joining the EU, imports increased, reaching a peak in 2021.
Croatia exported 961,442 tonnes of waste during the same year. EU member states received 565,646 tonnes, or 59%, while 35% went to OECD countries outside the EU and 6%, or 57,390 tonnes, went to other countries.
The ministry rejected claims that Croatia allows unrestricted imports of all waste or that hazardous waste can be freely brought into the country. It said imports are permitted only when authorized facilities have suitable treatment capacity and technology. Regulations ban deliveries of hazardous waste, mixed municipal waste and incineration residues from mixed municipal waste for disposal in Croatia. They also ban deliveries of mixed municipal waste for energy recovery. Cross-border shipments are subject to advance notification, approval, supervision and inspection procedures.
Accordingly, it is not true that hazardous waste can be freely imported into Croatia.
About this summary
Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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