Month: July 2025

What Is a Circular Economy—and Why Does Bosnia and Herzegovina Need One?

Imagine a world where waste doesn’t exist. Where everything we produce, use, and consume has another life, another use, and another purpose. This is the vision of a circular economy—a model that offers not only a solution to the mounting environmental crisis but also a promising pathway to economic resilience. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the time to embrace this transformation is now.

From Linear to Circular: What Does It Mean?

For many decades, most of the world has followed a linear economic model: take, make, use, and discard. Raw materials are extracted, products are manufactured and consumed, and what's left becomes waste. This model depends on firstly an infinite amount of resources, and secondly, an infinite capacity to absorb endless pollution and waste —both of which, in reality, are finite.

The circular economy flips this logic. Instead of discarding resources, we keep them in use for as long as possible. Products are designed to be reused, repaired, refurbished, or recycled. And by separating organics from our landfill we can put the nutrition from food waste back into the earth.

In practical terms, it means designing clothes that can be recycled, encouraging refillable packaging, turning organic waste into compost, and ensuring electronics can be easily repaired. It's not just about environmental protection; it’s a smarter way of doing business.

Why Does Bosnia and Herzegovina Need a Circular Economy?

Like many countries in the Western Balkans, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a range of environmental and economic challenges. Waste management systems are outdated. Illegal dumping is widespread. Landfills are overburdened. Meanwhile, industries rely heavily on imported raw materials, creating both economic dependency and vulnerability. A circular economy could address all of this.

Firstly, by repurposing and recycling what was once seen as waste means that less materials are sent to landfills. In 2019, only around 2.2 % of waste was recycled in BiH (the rest was landfilled or illegally dumped), and current figures suggest it’s still between 2-5%. In contrast to this Eurostat states that in 2023, the EU recycled 246 kg per person—which represents 48.0 % of all municipal waste generated.

In BiH much of what could be recovered—plastic, paper, metals, and organics —ends up in landfills or illegally dumped in nature. With the right infrastructure, policies, and public awareness, these valuable materials could be kept in the loop of the economy.

Secondly, a circular economy helps create jobs and foster local innovation. Circular practices like repair, remanufacturing, composting, and material recovery are often more labour-intensive than linear alternatives. That means more opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and young people looking for meaningful work.

Thirdly, it would strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economy. By reducing dependence on raw material imports and boosting the use of secondary materials, industries become more resilient to global shocks. Circularity can also make local supply chains more efficient and less wasteful, helping businesses save money while benefiting the environment.

Finally, it's about public health and quality of life. Cleaner environments, fewer illegal dumps, and better air and water quality benefit not just our environment but also the people who inhabit it, whether in a village, town or city. A circular economy supports a more liveable, healthy, and sustainable Bosnia and Herzegovina for all.

Learning from Others, Leading Our Own Way

Countries across Europe are already putting circular economy principles into practice. In the Netherlands, repair cafes and sharing platforms are commonplace. In Slovenia, Mariborm, a once-declining industrial city has become a beacon of circular innovation. The EU's Circular Economy Action Plan is guiding ambitious targets for waste reduction, product design, and green job creation. Bosnia and Herzegovina doesn’t need to start from scratch—but it does need to act.

Project CETAP (Circular Economy Transition Action Plan) exists to help drive that change. By supporting policy reform, piloting circular solutions, and raising public awareness, CETAP is laying the foundation for a new, regenerative economic model. One that serves people and planet.

What Can You Do?

Circular economy isn’t just a matter for policymakers or big businesses. It starts with all of us.

Here are a few simple steps anyone can take:

● Reduce waste: Buy only what you need. Choose products with less packaging. Bring your own bag.
● Reuse and repair: Fix broken items instead of throwing them away. Pass things on instead of throwing them out.
● Recycle correctly: Learn the rules in your municipality and sort your waste accordingly.
● Support local: Choose businesses that prioritise sustainability, use local materials, or offer repair services.

Every small action contributes to a bigger shift. As awareness grows, so too does the momentum for structural change.

A Circular Future for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Transitioning to a circular economy won’t happen overnight. It requires long-term commitment, cross-sector collaboration, and a shift in mindset. But the rewards—economic, environmental, and social—are worth the effort.

Bosnia and Herzegovina stands at a crossroads. With vision and determination, it can become a regional leader in circular economy innovation. Project CETAP is here to support that journey—connecting communities, guiding policy, and inspiring a new way forward.

Because waste is not just a problem to manage. It’s a resource to unlock. And the circular economy is how we turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.

It’s time to bin bad habits and recycle waste.

by Cetap