For a better waste management in the small Mediterranean islands

On 26 September 2019, a workshop entitled "Mediterranean islands: living laboratories for waste management? » was held in Šibenik as part of the "Franco-Croatian Dialogue". This workshop, organized by SMILO (Small Islands Organization) and Šibenik-Knin County, aimed to raise awareness of the importance of integrated waste management, particularly in the sensitive areas such as small islands, where the challenges of storage and processing are extremely complex. Among the hundred-odd participants, the meeting was attending by the French Ambassador to Croatia, the Prefect of the Šibenik-Knin County and the Executive Chairman of the European Federation for the Circular Economy. PAP/RAC representative at the meeting recalled that the Centre had accompanied the County in the development of the Šibenik-Knin coastal plan, and that the waste problems on the island of Zlarin had already at that time been the subject of debate. Four years after the end of the plan, great progress has been made in waste management thanks to the proactive approach of the local population which has made Zlarin the first Croatian island to ban the single-use plastic from its everyday life. During the second part of the morning, several presentations on inspiring good practices on Croatian and French islands were made. The afternoon was devoted to a field visit to the island of Zlarin, which allowed the participants to see the awareness and composting devices, as well as to note that the local population redoubled their efforts to avoid the use of plastic.