Minister of Environmental Protection Mrs. Irena Vujović, Deputy Mayor Mr. Goran Vesić, Assistant Mayer, Mr. Andreja Mladenovic, Secretary of Environment Protection, Mrs. Ivana Vilotijević, Secretary for Defense, Emergency Situations, Communications and Coordination of Public Relations, Mr. Darko Glavaš, Commander of the Belgrade fire brigade Mr. Miloš Majstorović, and CEO of PUC “Gradska čistoća”, Mr. Marko Popadić visited the New Waste Management Center in Vinča.
After witnessing that extensive fire, which broke out at the existing landfill on 7th August 2021, had been totally extinguished, Minister and Deputy Mayor extended their gratitude to Belgrade’s fire brigade, Beo Čista Energija and City’s Emergency team and were briefed by Beo Čista Energija about the commencement of treatment and disposal activities for solid municipal waste and construction waste at new landfills.
The new sanitary landfill is operated in compliance with the highest EU and Serbian waste management standards since August 2, 2021, while operations at the new landfill for soil and inert waste started on August 18, 2021.
After almost 45 years of operation of unsanitary dumpsite at Vinca, with the opening of new landfills, disposal of waste at it was stopped and Beo Čista Energija is moving forward with works to stabilize waste landslides, sort-out numerous challenges ranging from underground smoldering fires to trapped and accumulated leachate and final closure and remediation of the dumpsite.
The Minister of Environmental Protection, Mrs. Irena Vujović stated that: “The old landfill in Vinča, where waste has been disposed of for the last 45 years, is completely closed. New technologies and the most modern approach will be applied at the Vinca landfill, and Belgrade will get a modern waste management center.”
Deputy Mayor Goran Vesić stated that: “The City performed works to stop the landfill from sliding towards the Danube, thus preventing maybe one of the largest European environmental accidents. He added that new facilities are being built thanks to the French company “Suez” and the Japanese “Itochu Corporation”, which are among the leading companies in the world in waste management and water treatment.”
Managing Director of Beo Čista Energija Vladimir Milovanović pointed out regarding the remediation of the old Vinča landfill that: “The first investigation works began to determine the best methods for stabilizing the old landfill body and proceed with its remediation and recultivation into the green hill that will minimize threat to pollute the environment after it is finally closed.”
