Project description

Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Partner: ALBA doo Mostar
Overall term: 2007 to 2009

Context

Waste is a major environmental problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Dumping waste on illegal sites or on the banks of rivers or lakes is widely practised. This has to do with the lack of organisational structures, infrastructure and management for waste collection and disposal, along with a non-existent legal framework and no administrative regulations, insufficient economic incentives to encourage people to limit and separate their waste as well as the population’s attitude towards this topic.

The current situation with regard to waste collection also strongly compromises the development of tourism, an essential economic factor for the region. Guest surveys conducted by the tourist board in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) make it clear that the situation represents one of the main obstacles to the sustainable development of tourism in the region. What is more, as the number of tourists frequenting selected locations goes up, a significantly greater volume of rubbish can be expected in the future (hotels, gastronomy etc.).

Objective

The tourist region Herzegovina is more sensitised to the careful use of natural resources. Selected municipalities practise sustainable waste disposal, and collect and reprocess recyclables.

Approach

Seminars for the tourism industry (hotels and gastronomy) are to identify opportunities for reducing the volume of refuse through waste separation measures. In addition, energy efficiency know-how is communicated to businesses.
School teachers in the pilot areas will be offered further training seminars on environmental education in order to start sensitising youth to this problem.
At the same time, waste containers and collection bins for recyclables will be made available to the municipalities, the tourist industry and schools. ALBA Mostar, a subsidiary of the waste management firm ALBA Berlin, will be responsible for recycling the secondary raw materials collected.

Results achieved so far

Bosnia and Herzegovina would like to make headway in marketing its tourist products, especially  its untouched nature. Illegal waste dumps present an obstacle to this approach. The project shows the connection between a positive development of the tourism industry and the framework conditions necessary to achieve this. At the same time, it sensitises the population to the responsible use of the region's natural resources.

Further information

• Websites on Youth Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
  www.tourism.ba
• ALBA Berlin, international waste management and recycling firm
  www.alba-entsorgung.de
• ALBA Mostar, subsidiary of ALBA Berlin
  www.alba.ba