Slovakia Plans to Increase Recycling Rate to 55 percent by 2026

Bratislava, October 5 (TASR) – Slovakia plans to increase the proportion of municipal waste recycled from 39 percent to 50 percent, and it should even reach 55 percent by 2026, according to the national integrated reform plan called ‘A Modern and Successful Slovakia’ presented by the Finance Ministry at a news conference on Monday.

In line with the plan Slovakia should set priorities for addressing environmental burdens, based on which decontamination should be carried out.

Slovakia wants to reform the system of separated waste collection, while landfill fees should be gradually increased and limits on collecting mixed municipal waste should be introduced. Smart solutions should be employed within this. An amount of €216 million is set to be allocated for a circular economy.

“The country will be cleared of illegal landfills, and measures to prevent them from appearing will be introduced,” reads the reform plan. Reuse centres will be set up in every district town in order to prevent waste.

The Government should adopt a strategy and a road map for the transition to a circular economy, which should take place in 2022.

A technological cluster and a chemical-technological centre should be set up so that decontamination can be carried out more efficiently. Slovakia’s aim is to launch 276 projects for decontaminating environmental burdens by 2026. This decontamination is expected to swallow up €1.4 billion. The ‘polluter pays’ principle should be applied strictly in this area.
A programme for effectively fighting environmental crime should be prepared, including a strengthening of the capacities and powers of the Slovak Environment Inspectorate.