Croatia is accelerating investment in waste management infrastructure, with around EUR600m (US$692m) already secured for projects and growing interest in waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities that could increase the supply of alternative fuels to industry, according to speakers at the 13th International Environmental Protection Conference in Porec.
The country currently operates four regional waste management centres, with a fifth due to open later this year and several more under development. Croatia's first dedicated WtE project is being developed at the Bikarac Waste Management Centre near Šibenik and will process refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and sewage sludge.
Conference delegates noted that WtE facilities and cement kilns are likely to play complementary roles in managing non-recyclable waste. Representatives of Holcim said the company has been co-processing waste at its Croatian cement operations since the start of 2026, including material supplied by municipal utility companies.
Officials said Croatia is also preparing projects for additional waste management centres, including facilities at Zagreb, Orlovnjak and Šagulje. The Zagreb project is expected to be completed by 2028-29, with the city currently assessing the economic viability of a WtE plant.
