Examples of successful implementation of the circular economy among companies in Krapina-Zagorje County

31.05.2022: Nowadays, goods are consumed quickly on a global scale and thrown away even faster, leading to an overuse of natural resources and environmental pollution. The concept of the circular economy seeks to reduce waste already in product designing, and then to reuse them.

At the round table "Examples of successful implementation of the circular economy among companies in Krapina-Zagorje County" organised by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, held on 16th May 2022, it was pointed out that in Croatia an efficient waste management system is still in its early days, although there is already a legal framework for it. In Krapina-Zagorje County there are already companies that are successfully implementing this concept of circular economy and they are presented at the round table as examples of good practice: Vetropack Straža, Regeneracija, Corrugated Paper Dunapack and Stražaplastika.

On the one hand, Croatian utility companies do not know where to dispose waste, while on the other hand we have an industry that in accordance with sustainability trends wants to take quality sorted waste for further use, but can not get enough of it. "Companies show that they can and want to recycle and that they are ready for further investments. They need a larger amount of well sorted waste", said the director of the Sector for Industry and Sustainable Development Marija Šćulac Domac, who also pointed out the proposal of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, to create a national Circular Economy Action Plan.

The round table was also attended by the Chairman of the Board of Vetropack Straža Tihomir Premužak, who commented that too much glass is still outside of the collection system and that it is not clear why those who do not dispose waste properly would not pay the fine. "Our plant has exceeded the amount of glass on the Croatian market by four times. Therefore, we can take over all of the waste of glass”, Premužak added.