14th Project team meeting from Užice and external monitoring visit at the end of April, marked the formal end of the project “Establishment of primary waste selection in schools in Užice and Tuzla”. During the 15 months of project, different activities had been conducted, some of which are educational and technical. Educational were focused on students, schools personnel and local community, while technical activities targeted utility companies and schools in two cities.
Through this project, we raised the level of knowledge and awareness about the possibilities of primary selection among 10,000 students and nearly 1,000 school employees in Užice. Then, we developed the primary selection system, with a total of 270 waste bins for separate waste collection and 14 containers for temporary waste storage until the time when waste will be transported to PUC – by special truck, which was also acquired through this project.
In the end, we have made several disparate results, which can be divided into those which are financially measurable and those that certainly are not. Nearly 25 tons of collected materials ( 58% PET, 25% paper and paperboard , 15% cardboards and 2% aluminum cans) and almost 1,000 m³ of saved landfill space, are the results that can be financially quantified. On the other hand, a generations of young citizens, who learned how to handle different materials, represents a capital for the future and are financially priceless. We should multiply and adequately use that capital when designing a new ways of waste management in the city.
The project team thanks for all people who contributed to the adequate implementation of this project, honestly believing that its results will remain and be the pride of the city and its inhabitants. During the time, we will try to implement similar projects, so the primary waste selection process would truly take root.
