321 14 th International Research/Expert Conference ”Trends in the Development of Machinery and Associated Technology” TMT 2010, Mediterranean Cruise, 11-18 September 2010 WASTE PACKAGING MANAGEMENT IN REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Maja Rujnić-Sokele, Mladen Šercer, Ana Pilipović University of Zagreb Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture Ivana Lučića 5, Zagreb Croatia ABSTRACT By reason of the deposit model of the Ordinance on Packaging and Packaging Waste nearly the total beverage packaging waste is collected and recovered. Collectors, transporters and recyclers are designated by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund. Its duty is to pay for collection and transport, so the Fund is the owner of all gathered waste. The paper explains the waste packaging management system in Republic of Croatia. Keywords: waste packaging management, PET bottles, aluminium and tin cans, glass bottles 1. INTRODUCTION The Croatian government passed a Strategic Development Framework 2006 – 2013. This is the all- inclusive document for national environment policy. Below the National Environmental Strategy and the National Environmental Action Plan are provided. The first subdivides into sub-sectors – one of them deals with National Waste Management Strategy. The Packaging ordinance of 2005, being implemented since 2006 produced relief for a certain part of waste – waste packaging. [1] 2. ORDINANCE ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING WASTE In the time from the commencement of the Packaging Ordinance at the beginning of the year 2006 until the end of April 2010 approx. 83,500 t of PET-beverage bottles, 230,500 t of glass bottles and 5,400 t of aluminium and tin cans have been collected. This represents more than 90% of the bulk sum of the market. [2] The producer, what means the company who packs or imports packed products, has to cover the expenses of collection, disposal and recovery of waste packaging products he has placed on the market. Therefore all producers must submit an annual report on the types and amounts of packaging placed on the Croatian market in the previous year to the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund by 1 st of March of the current year. [1] The seller of packed goods with sales premises larger than 200 m 2 has to allow the setting up and manoeuvring of containers for the collection of packaging waste, the temporary storage thereof and must organize the transport of collected packaging waste from the sales premises and temporary storages to the waste management- or recovery-companies. Packaging waste, accumulated at the sales premises, must be sorted free of charge according to the basic classification: glass, paper and cardboard, composites, metal, aluminium, PET, other plastics, wood and textiles. The seller is also responsible for the payback of a returnable fee of 0,50 HRK per each unit of non refillable beverage packaging, brought back by customers. Refunded amounts are paid back by the Fund. [1] Fee- and Deposit-System includes several fees for disposal and return of one-way packaging as well as some kind of “incentive fee” (Figure 1). [1]