Waste can often be thought of as out of sight, out of mind. Once it leaves our hands and goes into a bin we rarely give it a second thought. But where does it all go? And what is the real cost of this growing mountain of waste to our environment, our health, and our economy?

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the truth is both alarming and urgent.

The Journey of Waste in BiH

Every day, households, businesses, and industries across the country generate thousands of tonnes of waste. In fact, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) produced 1.2 million tons of municipal waste in 2021, which was a 1.8% increase in the previous year. Each inhabitant of Bosnia and Herzegovina produced an average of 356kg waste – which is the same weight as a fully grown polar bear! 

Some of it is collected by municipal services and taken to landfills. Some of it is burned in open spaces. Though the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) found that around 25% of all disposed waste ends up in illegal dump sites in BiH. The UNDP found that there were over 1,400 illegal waste disposal sites across the country, these illegal sites are not only unsightly but dangerous—breeding grounds for disease, contamination, and even fire.

And alarmingly in April 2025 only six landfills in Bosnia and Herzegovina met EU standards which means that even the majority of waste which is landfilled legally still fail to meet environmental standards.

These sites often lack impermeable bases, proper gas collection, or leachate treatment. Waste includes broad categories like hazardous or organic materials mixed with general trash, without sorting. This means hazardous substances can seep into the soil and water, releasing toxic gases into the air and polluting ecosystems for decades to come. 

Environmental Impact: A Threat to Nature and Climate

Waste that ends up in nature doesn’t just disappear. Plastics break down slowly, a single plastic bottle decomposes over 450 years and turns into microplastics, which can enter the water supply and ultimately the food chain. 

Organic waste dumped in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas which has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. GWP is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. 

While chemicals from improperly disposed electronics, batteries, and medical waste can poison animals and pollute water sources.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich biodiversity with around 5,000 vascular plant species documented which is the equivalent to roughly 30% of Balkan endemic flora, making the region vital for plant conservation.

Sutjeska National Park, one of the country’s three national parks, alone supports 2,600 species of vascular plants, including endemic black pines and beech trees—some over 300 years old—in the ancient Perućica forest.

Among fauna, BiH has native brown bears, Balkan chamois, wolves, lynx, wild cats, and over 300 bird species, including golden eagles and peregrine falcons, thriving in protected landscapes

All of this is under direct threat, without strong waste management systems BiH risks irreversible damage to natural heritage.

Economic Impact: Waste is Wasting Money

Poor waste management is not only an environmental issue. It’s an economic one.

Managing illegal dumping, cleaning rivers, and remediating contaminated land costs municipalities millions each year—funds that could be better spent on schools, healthcare, and infrastructure. At the same time, the country is losing out on the economic value of the materials currently being discarded.

Aluminium, plastics, paper, textiles, and organic matter all have potential second lives. Yet, when mixed and buried in landfills, that value is lost. A functioning circular economy could unlock this potential, turning waste into a resource and creating new opportunities for jobs and businesses.

Additionally, in BiH there is no industrial or hazardous waste disposal site in the country, this in turn means that much of the hazardous waste generated in BiH is exported to EU nations for treatment which is a costly and unsustainable approach.

Health Impact: A Silent Crisis

Improperly managed waste directly affects public health. Open burning releases harmful particulates and carcinogens. Leachate from landfills contaminates groundwater used for drinking. Mosquitoes, rats, and other disease vectors thrive in illegal dumpsites.

Communities living near unmanaged waste sites often report higher rates of respiratory illnesses, skin conditions, and gastrointestinal problems. Children are particularly vulnerable. The long-term costs to the healthcare system, productivity, and wellbeing are substantial.

Why Change Is Urgent?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not alone in facing these challenges. Across the Western Balkans, countries are grappling with the legacy of underinvestment in waste infrastructure. But change is coming.

As part of its path toward EU accession, BiH will need to align with the bloc’s ambitious environmental and circular economy targets. That means reducing landfill dependency, improving recycling rates, and investing in systems that prioritise prevention, reuse, and recovery.

But this isn’t just about compliance. It’s about building a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable future for everyone.

Advances are already being made and, supported by the European Union, Sweden and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a new regional centre in Živinice has been operating since April 2025. It is now the first sanitary landfill with an integrated recycling yard and gas management in Tuzla canton. It serves around 100,000 residents and includes infrastructure to treat leachate and capture methane gas. 

The Role of CETAP: Driving the Transition

Project CETAP (Circular Economy Transition Action Plan) was created to support this transformation to reduce waste, improve recycling and help develop a circular economy. By helping local governments, businesses, and communities understand the true cost, and value, of waste, CETAP is laying the groundwork for change.

Through data-driven research, public awareness campaigns, and the development of pilot programmes, CETAP is:

• Identifying key waste streams and opportunities for circularity.
• Supporting local authorities in upgrading waste collection and sorting systems.
• Engaging citizens to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Advocating for the investment in circular solutions.

Waste doesn’t have to be a burden. It can be an opportunity.

What Can You Do?

Tackling the waste crisis in BiH requires collective effort. Everyone has a role to play:

• Sort your waste: Separate recyclable materials from general waste. Encourage your local authorities to provide better sorting facilities.
• Avoid single-use plastics: Choose reusable alternatives whenever possible.
• Report illegal dumping: Speak up and demand accountability.
• Support circular businesses: Buy local, repair instead of replace, and look for products made with recycled content.

Small actions, multiplied across communities, create big change.

Toward a Cleaner Bosnia and Herzegovina

The hidden cost of waste is too high to ignore. From polluted rivers and rising health problems to missed economic opportunities, the current system is unsustainable.

But with the right policies, investments, and public support, Bosnia and Herzegovina become a circular economy. One where waste is designed out, materials are reused, and nature is protected.

Project CETAP is proud to be part of this essential transition. Because waste doesn’t just disappear. It shapes our future.