With the symbolic planting of 20 seedlings at the Mislov landfill, the end of the first phase of rehabilitation was officially completed and the beginning of the mentioned area, which for years was the biggest black spot in Nikšić, was announced.
"The great success of both the Municipality of Nikšić and the relevant ministry and the success of Montenegro, but also of all environmental activists who think well of the environment of this country. This is an excellent model that we can use in other cases as well, considering that in Montenegro, unfortunately, there are a large number of landfills that have not been treated in the same way, so I think that Mislov do is a good example that we will use for other cases as well," said Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, Damjan Ćulafić.
The disposal of city waste at the Mislov do landfill, on an area of about two hectares, began in 2003. At the time, it was said that the landfill would be temporary and closed after five years. Locals organized protests several times, and fires and smoke that could cover the city for weeks are not a rare occurrence.
Environmentalists have been warning for years about the danger posed by the landfill, which, according to them, did not meet the prescribed standards even in the days when it became temporary.
"This is a big day for Nikšić because we have solved the biggest problem of our city and one of the biggest problems of Montenegro. The problem that burdened Nikšić for 20 years and whose solution was being solved, until we took over, absolutely nothing was done, but the problems were piling up, and thus and responsibility that will be determined in the coming period, since we and the Ozone Environmental Movement, to whom I thank for their support throughout this process, filed a series of criminal charges in previous years," said the President of the Nikšić Municipal Assembly, Nemanja Vuković.
In parallel with the problem of solving the landfill, as Vuković pointed out, they were creating prerequisites for the construction of the Waste Management Center.
"Accordingly, we are going with the support of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North and the World Bank. Waste is currently being transshipped in Željezara, which is being deposited at the Livada landfill. This is a temporary solution until the construction of the Center. What is certain is that Nikšić will not have a new landfill - by solving one problem, we will not generate others, but in the coming period, we will harmonize the entire waste management system with the highest European standards, with the support of the ministry, the government and international partners," said Vuković.
According to him, a specialized waste transport vehicle should arrive by the end of the year, another vehicle with a press is planned to be procured, a tender has been announced for the construction of a transfer station, and six preliminary studies for the construction of the Waste Management Center are underway, which will provide additional guidelines on how it should be built.
The first phase of the rehabilitation of the landfill cost about half a million euros, while the second phase will mark its final reclamation, and together with environmental activists, they will plan how to turn that space into something creative. The municipality also intends to buy the land on which the landfill was located from a private individual who has been paying rent for more than two decades.
"What is important is that the landfill no longer functions as a landfill and does not pose a threat to the health of citizens and the environment. Symbolically, we are planting trees as a message that Mislov do is no longer a danger to the city and citizens and that there will be no more waste here," said Vuković. .
The rehabilitation of the landfill was carried out by the company "Tekon" from Belgrade.
The technical director of that company, Dimitrije Stevanović, explained that urgent elements of rehabilitation were done and that all acute underground fires were extinguished, as well as that the penetration of leachate, which caused additional problems, was partially prevented.
"Part of it has been done now, and part will be worked out through the rehabilitation project. Citizens should not worry because we can no longer have that toxic effect on the city and society. This landfill 'lives', it settles, it works. It takes some time to all the waste, which has been dumped here for about twenty years, and the last one six months ago, has settled down. We are standing here practically on the history of a part of the behavior that was not good," said Stevanović.
According to him, the company "Tekon" has an obligation to monitor the landfill for the next 25 months and to intervene if any incidents occur.
"Final remediation involves placing foils, lowering the slopes to acceptable levels, solving the technology of closing the landfill. The amount of water coming to the landfill has been reduced, now it is necessary to carry out monitoring and close it in an adequate way through the issue of remediation. We believe that the situation will be stable in the coming period, but we will be ready to react if necessary," said Stevanović and added that the final rehabilitation project must be done in accordance with European directives and national regulations.
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