Western Balkans urged to scrap waste-to-energy plans over environmental concerns

The report highlights alarmingly low recycling rates in the region, with Montenegro at approximately 3.7 percent and Bosnia and Herzegovina at a mere 1 percent. Bankwatch argues that shifting toward incineration would undermine the development of separate waste collection and recycling systems, despite significant prior investment from national budgets and EU funds.

"Incinerators are not a circular economy solution," the report states. "Instead, they represent expensive infrastructure that locks municipalities into long-term mixed waste production and stifles investment in waste prevention and recycling."

Experts further caution that these projects typically require 20 to 30-year contracts, forcing local communities to maintain constant waste volumes to remain viable, a commitment that directly contradicts circular economy objectives. Activists also raised alarms regarding toxic emissions and the lack of facilities equipped to handle hazardous fly ash.

"Politicians are misrepresenting waste incineration as a circular economy component, when in reality it destroys valuable resources and drives up greenhouse gas emissions," said Denis Zisko of the Aarhus Centre BiH.

Similarly, Zero Waste Montenegro pointed out that the country still lacks a fundamental waste management framework, arguing that the focus must remain on prevention and recycling. Bankwatch and its partner organisations are now calling on regional authorities to pivot away from incineration in favour of composting, separate collection, and genuine clean energy solutions such as solar and geothermal power.