Zagreb residents store trash in freezers to cope with heat and slow bag filling

Zagreb's summer heat is exacerbating a common problem for residents: how to manage household waste when it takes weeks to fill the city-mandated garbage bags. Many are finding their trash attracts insects and creates unpleasant odors long before the bags are full.

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My trash can's not stand for that long because it attracts insects, and if I throw it out every day, I'm throwing out an almost empty ZG bag.

On the Reddit platform, a Zagreb resident shared his dilemma, explaining that it takes him about a week, sometimes two, to fill even the smallest 10-liter bag. "My trash can't stand for that long because it attracts insects, and if I throw it out every day, I'm throwing out an almost empty ZG bag," he explained, seeking advice.

Solutions shared by fellow residents range from storing waste on balconies in smaller bags until a larger one can be filled, to keeping meat scraps and similar items in the freezer until trash day. One user suggested using scented diaper bags for smaller waste items before placing them in the official city bag, acknowledging it's not ideal but a necessary measure. Another suggested a powder that absorbs odors and prevents rotting, originally intended for organic waste but found helpful for mixed waste when living alone.

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I know it's not ecological, but I have nowhere else to put it.

Despite these user-generated coping mechanisms, the city's "Holding" service has indicated no plans to issue smaller garbage bags. This leaves residents to continue finding their own ways to deal with the inconvenience of accumulating waste in the heat.

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They said they won't issue 5-liter bags yet.