Biowaste Management and Circular Economy: Usage of Pay as you Throw System and Autonomous Composting Units in Municipality of Probishtip

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is still a significant environmental problem for all Balkan and Mediterranean countries, under constant pressure from relevant EU legislation and public. In general, waste management services in the Republic of North Macedonia do not comply with national and international regulations. They are incomplete and contain only inefficient waste collection and poorly controlled or uncontrolled landfill, with no additional elements of advanced waste management as defined in EU waste directives. The municipal solid waste management continues to be a significant challenge in all states of the European Community and is an important element in the transition to a circular economy. An important aspect of implementation of the circular economy assumptions in the case of MSW is a plan for reducing waste amounts deposited at landfills and enhancing the share of waste, which can be returned to the system as material and organic recycling. In the light of soon expected establishment of regional integrated and self-sustainable waste management system in the east and north-east planning regions of the Republic of North Macedonia, in order to increase awareness by the local population and hospitality enterprises for source separation schemes of organic waste, as the largest producers of organic waste, University Goce Delchev and Hellenic Mediterranean University together with Municipality of Katerini, Municipality of Yermasoyia, and Municipality of Probishtip launched a joint project co-founded by EU, “Utilizing Pay as You Throw Systems and Autonomous Composting Units for Biowaste Management in Touristic Areas.” PAYT system and ACUs as innovative technologies for biowaste management involve source separation schemes of organic waste. The aim of this paper is to present the transfer and application of innovative technologies Pay As You Throw (PAYT) system and Autonomous Composting Units (ACUs) for biowaste management in Municipality of Probishtip, thus reinforce the system of circular economy (CE) in the Republic of North Macedonia.