Serbia’s waste-sector figures show municipal solid-waste collection is close to 90%, but only around 17% of collected waste is recycled, while landfilling remains the dominant disposal method. The gap leaves much of the country’s waste economy untapped and points to investment needs across the sector.
Serbia recorded 2,217 landfill fires in 2025, a new record, while non-compliant landfills and dumpsites continue to create environmental and fiscal liabilities.
Serbia adopted a circular-economy programme for 2026–2030 and improved some waste legislation, but enforcement, investment and implementation of extended producer responsibility remain incomplete. Potential investment areas include sorting, recycling, waste-to-resource infrastructure, industrial waste recovery and modern landfill management, all of which require capital.
Serbia’s stated next step is to move beyond collection and create value from material flows in the waste sector. A bankable market also requires predictable fees, enforcement and producer responsibility.
