Serbia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and NALED have signed a cooperation agreement to develop new waste-management policies, including a potential deposit-return system for beverage packaging and regulatory reforms covering food waste and end-of-life vehicles.
The agreement provides NALED with participation in ministry working groups and advisory bodies. Both parties will jointly prepare studies, policy analyses and legislative proposals while coordinating environmental projects involving businesses, municipalities and civil society organisations.
Deposit-Return System Under Development
Among the planned reforms, the proposed deposit-return system for beverage containers represents one of the most significant initiatives for businesses. Under the proposed model, consumers would pay a refundable deposit when purchasing beverages and receive the amount back after returning empty bottles or cans to authorised collection points.
Implementation would require substantial investment across the supply chain. Retailers could need reverse-vending machines and additional storage capacity, while beverage producers and importers would be responsible for financing collection clearing, transportation and processing systems. A digital platform would also be required to record deposits and reduce the risk of fraud.
No deposit value, implementation timetable, operating entity or financing model has yet been announced. The cooperation agreement does not introduce legal obligations for businesses or consumers, with these elements to be defined through future legislation and implementing regulations.
Food Waste Collection and EU Pilot Projects
Food waste has also been identified as a priority area. According to NALED, bio-waste accounts for approximately 40% of Serbia’s municipal waste, although much of it continues to be disposed of together with mixed household waste. Separate collection could provide feedstock for composting, biogas production and other resource recovery activities while reducing landfill volumes.
NALED is already participating in the EU-supported WAVE project, launched on 1 July, which will test separate collection of used cooking oil and food waste management in Šabac and the Croatian town of Otok.
Results from the pilot programme are expected to provide data on the economic viability of expanding separate collection systems to larger Serbian cities. Key factors include collection density, contamination rates and transport distances to treatment facilities. The economics may differ significantly between urban areas and less densely populated municipalities without regional processing infrastructure or public financial support.
End-of-Life Vehicle Policy
The agreement also includes cooperation on reforms affecting end-of-life vehicles.
With support from Germany’s GIZ, NALED plans to initiate discussions on limiting imports of vehicles equipped with Euro 3 and Euro 4 engines, while also identifying municipalities that could host regional vehicle collection centres.
Potential import restrictions would affect the used vehicle market while encouraging renewal of Serbia’s vehicle fleet. The establishment of authorised collection centres could increase demand for licensed dismantling operations, metal recovery, hazardous-fluid treatment and automotive parts recycling.
Implementation would require vehicle documentation, deregistration procedures and ownership records to be integrated with authorised dismantling facilities to ensure end-of-life vehicles are processed through formal recycling channels.
The cooperation framework also provides for possible joint activities to improve urban greenery in Belgrade, although this initiative remains less developed than the proposed waste-management measures. The agreement outlines a framework for future environmental policy rather than a funded investment programme. Its implementation will depend on subsequent legislation, the allocation of costs between producers and consumers, and the capacity of municipalities to enforce new waste-management systems.
