650 tons of non-toxic waste to be removed from the Gospić landfill

Government has decided to ship some 650 tons of non-toxic waste from the illegal landfill in Gospić to two Croatian cement plants. The Holcim and Nexe companies will use the waste as fuel in the production of cement.

Government opted for this course of action after the Tabak Group withdrew its bid for the remediation of the waste and the Environmental Protection Fund canceled the public tender. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković: "The government moved with unprecedented speed, reaching an agreement with two Croatian cement companies, Holcim and Nexe. They will be responsible for removing the non-hazardous waste from Gospić within a maximum of 45 days, at a total cost of no more than €357,500."

This does not however address the 33 thousand tons of toxic waste that is buried at the site. Environmental Protection and Green Transition Minister Marija Vučković: "At this stage, we cannot promise that all of the buried waste in Gospić can be removed and properly stored within the next three months. We are dealing with a mixture of different materials, much of it mixed in with stones and soil. It would be financially irresponsible to treat and pay for all of this material as hazardous waste. Our goal, as always, is to prevent further contamination and remediate the site as quickly as possible."

Source: HRT