15.05.2020.
Remediation of the former landfill Košambra is on schedule, with the completion expected at the end of July. Theproject is worth approx. HRK 12.1 million, of which HRK 10m have been provided from EU funds. Aleksandra Čilić, head of the Environmental Protection Sector of the Fund, could see the progress made so far when she visited Košambra with the mayor of Poreč, Mr. Peršurić, and the director of the utility company Usluga Poreč, Milan Laković.
Head of the Sector Ms Čilić pointed out that for years the Fund had been actively backing waste management projects implemented in Poreština, and the entire Istria County. For the first stage of landfill remediation, the Fund earmarked 8.5 million kunas, while EU funding has been secured for additional works for the completion and closure of this location. “The remediation itself is very important not only for Poreč, but for the entire county. Along with the built Waste Management Centre Kaštijun, remediation of the landfill is the last link in the chain of ending the former method of handling the waste, and transitioning to a regulated and integrated waste management system. In cooperation with the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, the town of Poreč is implementing this project, as well as other projects promoting sustainable waste management, providing indispensable education to the citizens, and acquiring the containers for separate waste collection. Part of the containers has already been supplies, and we are planning to have the rest supplied by the end of this year. Both Poreč and Istria County have made significant progress and can be a real example to other towns and counties,” said Čilić.
Loris Peršurić, the mayor, emphasised that projects like this one were important because nowadays, one had to think about the environment they were leaving for the generations to come. “Large projects like the drainage system or landfill remediation are not as attractive as some of other projects we are implementing, for example the reconstruction of the waterfront or the construction of schools, but they are nevertheless very important. Without projects like these, there is no progress for our town,” added the mayor, and thanked the Fund and line ministry for their support.
Project manager Ivan Barbić said that this was just one in a number of projects Croatia was implementing in order to comply with the EU directive and the transition to the circular waste management system. “Landfill Košambra will be permanently closed, and the cell where waste used to be landfilled will be covered with the geosyntheticscover system with the total surface area of around 30,000 m2, and the degassing system will be installed as well. The aim of this method of remediation is to have zero negative impacts on the environment once the landfill is closed,” said Barbić.
