Zagreb Seeks Contractor for 155 Million Euro Waste Management Center, Aims to Close Jakuševec Landfill

Zagreb has launched the public procurement process for the design and construction of the Zagreb Waste Management Center (CGO Zagreb), a project Mayor Tomislav Tomašević described as the most important waste management initiative in Croatia's history.

The center, with an estimated value of 155 million euros (excluding VAT), is designed to handle approximately 350,000 tons of waste annually. The construction will follow the internationally recognized FIDIC Yellow Book contract model, employing a "design and build" approach. The facility will operate as a closed system, incorporating biofilters and continuous monitoring of air and water emissions, as well as noise levels, to ensure environmental protection.

Mayor Tomašević emphasized the project's significance in shifting Croatia's waste management strategy from simple disposal to recycling and recovery. "This is the most important waste management project in Croatia that has been awaited for decades. With it, we are finally moving from disposal to recycling and recovery, creating conditions for the closure of the Jakuševec landfill, and freeing the City from long-term dependence on private companies," he stated. He further highlighted that the center is designed to meet the highest ecological standards, protecting the environment and public health while returning valuable raw materials into use.

The project aligns with Zagreb's Spatial Plan and Croatia's National Waste Management Plan for 2023-2028. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition previously approved the project's environmental impact assessment on January 30, 2026, following a 45-day public consultation period that considered 79 submissions with 862 individual comments. The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property has also transferred the authority for issuing the location permit to the city's administrative body.

The construction phase is expected to take 24 months. This development marks a significant long-term infrastructure advancement for the City of Zagreb, aiming to create a modern, environmentally sound waste management system.

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This is the most important waste management project in Croatia that has been awaited for decades. With it, we are finally moving from disposal to recycling and recovery, creating conditions for the closure of the Jakuševec landfill, and freeing the City from long-term dependence on private companies. It is a modern, closed facility designed to the highest ecological standards, which protects the environment and citizens' health and returns valuable raw materials into use. This is a long-term step forward in the infrastructure of the City of Zagreb.