The meeting was organized as part of Ekopak’s regular activities. Ekopak is the first authorized operator of the packaging waste management system in Bosnia and Herzegovina and continuously works on connecting and empowering local actors in the field of recycling and sustainable waste management.

In her opening remarks, Amela Hrbat, Director of Ekopak, emphasized the importance of strong cooperation between Ekopak and utility companies. She praised Vilenica Čistoća as an example of best practice, highlighting that this public company ranks among the top performers in terms of collected packaging waste from 2013 to 2024.

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Mirsad Ibrović, Assistant to the Federal Minister, addressed the participants and presented plans for a major project titled Sustainable Waste Management, valued at approximately 120 million BAM. The project will be implemented with the support of the World Bank, focusing on infrastructure improvements. He urged utility companies to prepare their project documentation in a timely manner.

The Mayor of Novi Travnik, Stjepan Dujo, thanked everyone for attending and emphasized that such meetings offer a valuable opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences that can lead to even better results. He also pointed out the challenges caused by divided responsibilities across entities, cantons, and local authorities, underlining the need for coordinated meetings.

“The results achieved by Vilenica Čistoća show that even with limited resources, we can make significant progress when there is commitment, good organization, and cooperation. Ekopak remains a strong partner to utility companies in developing infrastructure and raising public awareness about the importance of packaging waste recycling,” Hrbat emphasized.