Adopted steps for responsible waste management

Society in Serbia is increasingly beginning to understand the problem of waste, but instead of insisting on the normative approach to this problem, it needs access through offering practical policy solutions and create a communication strategy for all stakeholders, concluded the participants of the consultative meeting held in Belgrade Open School ( BOS). The document "The new policy to develop public awareness on waste management at the local level - from understanding the need, which is represented on this occasion, BOS wants to improve public awareness on waste management.

"The result of two years working at the local level is the recognition that the key issues in waste management the lack of good communication between civil society organizations (CSOs) and decision makers, as well as undeveloped public awareness about the responsible involvement of citizens in the process of implementation of environmental policy," said Mirko Popovic, a representative of Belgrade Open School, adding that "at the meeting adopted the steps of establishing a normative framework, strengthening communication and education, where the most important part of CSOs, as well as the involvement of CSOs in making and implementing decisions."

The results of partner organizations in the field of education, citizen activism and public awareness, over the issue of hazardous household waste, electronic waste and contaminated waste of unknown origin were presented at the meeting. Conclusions relating to: the need to harmonize legislative acts, especially the waste management strategy and the Law on Waste Management, the management of all flows of electronic waste - collection and disposal, then the regulation role of provider, solving the problem of financing the purchase and collection of electronic waste. On this occasion, among others, the Association DUGA from Sabac, presented numerous problems they faced during the action of collecting discarded needles and syringes after use of intravenous drugs.

From the meeting were informed that in solving environmental problems must apply an integrated approach, because problems of the environment in a local community include the social and economic aspects of life of citizens. Specifically, the policy environment is part of all other policies and is inseparable from them, and in the process of its implementation of all actors, including CSOs, which are not primarily environmental should be actively involved