Fast food, fast consumption, single-use products, plastic spoons, forks, straws, glasses and Styrofoam containers make up a huge part of the pollution. Their use lasts very short, but they persist in nature for centuries. Single-use plastic from eight municipalities ends up in the "sanitary tub" of the Landfill doo Podgorica (Landfill).
The landfill receives around 13 thousand tons of various plastic waste per year, of which only around 0,70 percent was processed in 2025. The recycling center at the landfill is engaged in the selection, sorting and processing of plastic waste. After processing, the plastic in the form of granules or pressed baled mass can be further used. The term recycling refers to the next stage, when already sorted and prepared plastic is taken over and new products are made from it.
However, not all plastics can be recycled. The problem with single-use plastics is that they are often contaminated and unsuitable for recycling.
A year after the introduction of the ban on the use of plastic bags and single-use plastics, the effects are contradictory.
From the Landfill for Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG) They point out that the total amount of single-use plastic has not decreased.
"No reduction in the total amount of single-use plastics was recorded, except for a reduction in the amount of plastic bags. Single-use plastics are present, especially since there has been an increase in the use of fast food services," the landfill said.
Citizens bought more than 41 million plastic bags in a year
The ban on plastic bags applies to bags between 15 and 50 microns thick, which are among the biggest polluters. However, thicker bags, over 50 microns, are still allowed for a fee.
According to the current Waste Management Law, retailers who use bags pay the Environmental Protection Fund (Eco-fond) a fee of three cents per bag. Based on these payments, the Eco-fond received almost one million euros in its first year.
"As of September 30, 2025, total revenues from plastic bag fees amount to approximately 997.401 euros," the Eco-Fund told CIN-CG.
The law stipulates that these funds can only be used for campaigns and informing the public about the harmfulness of plastic. However, while funds are being invested in campaigns, plastic recycling in Montenegro is declining, due to outdated technology and the inability to sell the processed material.
CIN-CG requested data from the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development (MERS) on the rate of plastic waste recycling and planned measures to increase it. Although MERS is responsible for the implementation of the National Waste Management Plan for 2025-2029, by the time the text was published, the department it manages Damjan Ćulafić no answers arrived.
Data obtained by CIN-CG from the Podgorica Landfill reveals a worrying picture: out of an average of about 13 tons of plastic waste annually, less than 1,5 percent has been collected in recent years. The recycling rate has been steadily declining. In 2023, it was 2,2 percent, a year later it fell to 1,31 percent, and in the first ten months of this year it reached only 0,70 percent.
The reasons are multiple: lack of infrastructure and outdated technology at the Recycling Center, and low demand for recycled plastic on the market. The Landfill explains that unsorted plastic is created due to technical limitations of existing municipal waste treatment systems. As a result, even some of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging, which is otherwise in demand on the market, cannot be separated and ends up in sanitary vats. In 2023, about 91 tons of PET were separated, while in 2025, that amount dropped to 49 tons.
According to an explanation from Deponija, another key problem is low demand for plastic waste.
"We primarily separate the type of plastic that is in demand on the market, that is, that can be sold," the landfill told CIN-CG.
Therefore, the mixed plastic category (MIX), which previously made up the largest portion of processed waste, has stopped being sorted since the end of 2024 and is now disposed of directly in sanitary vats.
"All plastic disposed of in sanitary vats remains permanently at that location, without the possibility of subsequent processing or placing on the market," the landfill explained to CIN-CG.
Another problem is that the Recycling Center was closed for five months in 2024 due to repairs, and for three months this year due to work on expanding the waste tire processing facility. The city company Deponija financed the construction of a new waste tire processing facility on its own initiative, from its own revenues. This investment proved to be economically viable, as the company provided a market for products resulting from the processing of this product, thus enabling the disposal of large quantities of tires that previously represented a serious environmental problem.
More than 99 percent of plastic is not sorted
Čistoća doo Podgorica (Čistoća) states that a number of factors influence the low recycling rate.
"This low percentage is due to insufficiently developed infrastructure for separate waste collection and processing, limited recycling center capacities, and insufficient implementation and control of legal regulations," Čistoća told CIN-CG.
Director of Zero Waste Montenegro Vanja Cicmil says the main problem is the lack of infrastructure.
"Most municipalities do not have sorting centers, recycling yards, or even sanitary landfills. In addition, weak enforcement of the law further complicates the situation. Although bans exist, supervision and penalties are rare," Cicmil tells CIN-CG.
"Single-use plastics are still 'cheap and easy', so without systemic incentives and education there will be no change. Citizens can only introduce significant changes if they have an accessible system and infrastructure for waste separation," emphasizes Cicmil.
Čistoća believes that it is necessary to increase investments in infrastructure for selective waste disposal and transport, ensure consistent implementation of legal regulations, and encourage active participation of citizens and businesses.
"Special attention should be paid to the continuous education of all age groups, especially children and young people, in order to develop lasting awareness of the importance of proper waste separation," Čistoća states.
They also point out that involving the economy through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, as well as introducing models that motivate citizens, such as a reward system or waste collection based on quantity, would be key steps towards creating a more efficient and sustainable recycling system in Montenegro.
Cicmil adds that manufacturers had time to adapt to the ERP system, because it was also present in the old Waste Management Law.
"The largest share of plastic comes from the beverage industry, large retail chains and food and cosmetics importers, which is confirmed by data from the field. However, there is no precise record, because the ERP has not yet been developed. Without transparent data, there is neither real accountability nor quality strategic documents," Cicmil points out.
The system only functions formally.
The Environmental Protection Agency told CIN-CG that citizens purchased around 41,6 million bags across Montenegro from October 2024 to October 2025. Since bags are sold at a price of 10 to 15 cents, this means that consumers spent between four and six million euros on them.
The problem, however, is not just about the bags. Čistoća, which is responsible for waste collection, explains that the concept of separating waste into “dry” and “wet” fractions has been implemented since 2018. It is the simplest waste collection system, with two containers for the dry (paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass) and wet fraction (other municipal waste, less suitable for recycling).
"Although the system has been established, containers and labels have been placed, and information campaigns have been conducted, in practice, citizens in most cases do not properly separate waste, and control of implementation is not efficient enough," Čistoća told CIN-CG.
In order to encourage citizens, Čistoća has installed recycling machines for the disposal of packaging waste, equipped with a reward system, in the form of food for stray dogs and school supplies. The recycling machines are located in public areas of the Capital, as well as in some schools and kindergartens.
Citizens also have access to a mobile recycling yard, which visits various local communities according to plan, as well as five permanent recycling yards in Podgorica. At these locations, citizens can dispose of all types of non-hazardous waste and certain types of hazardous waste, batteries, medicines and accumulators free of charge.
"If hazardous waste is mixed with non-hazardous waste, the entire quantity takes on the characteristics of hazardous waste. That is why primary selection at the point of origin is an extremely important link in the recycling process," warns Čistoća.
The landfill in Podgorica receives a large portion of waste from the entire country, because it is not only from the capital city, but a significant portion also arrives from other municipalities.
"The Podgorica landfill receives waste from eight municipalities, and Mojkovac and Kolašin will soon join. Capacities are rapidly disappearing, the lifespan of sanitary cassettes has been reduced from five to six to just three years. The third cassette is closed, the fourth is in operation, and the construction of the fifth and sixth is planned, which would sustain the landfill for about eight more years," states the Shadow Report for Chapter 27, published in May 2025.
Plastic in rivers, lakes, the sea and in us
Plastic waste has long been no longer just a landfill problem. Scientists have confirmed the presence of microplastics at all surveyed locations in Montenegro, in the Morača, Zeta and Bojana rivers, in Lake Skadar and at 12 marine locations. Microplastics were found in shellfish and fish, which shows that plastic penetrates all parts of the ecosystem and enters the food chain.
"Plastic waste is everywhere around us today, including the coasts. The Morača, Zeta, Lim, and especially the Bojana, carry huge amounts of waste to Lake Skadar, the largest waste collector in the continental part of Montenegro. Critical zones are the Bojana estuary, the southern coast, as well as the Budva Riviera and the Bar-Ulcinj beaches, which are under pressure from mass tourism," points out Vanja Cicmil.
The main sources of pollution are identified as everyday practices, inadequate waste disposal, tourism and hospitality, which still rely mainly on disposable packaging, fishing and the nautical sector, which leaves nets, Styrofoam and nylon in the sea. There are also hidden sources of microplastics, less visible to citizens: synthetic clothing that releases fibers when washed, cosmetic and hygiene products, worn car tires, and cigarette butt filters.
Global research shows that micro and nanoplastics enter the human body, being found in the blood, brain, placenta and blood vessels. A study from Italy (2024) showed that the presence of plastic in the body increases the risk of a second heart attack four times, and in diabetics the risk is twice as high. Microplastics are also linked to infertility and neurological diseases.
"Microplastics have already been found in drinking water, marine fish, sea salt and the human body. Although the effects on health have not yet been fully investigated, it is known that plastic additives can act as hormone disruptors and carry long-term risks, especially for children and pregnant women. The risks are chronic and cumulative, the consequences are not felt immediately, which is why it is crucial to reduce the daily use of plastic and strengthen prevention," says Cicmil.
CIN-CG requested comment from the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro on this scientific research and the general implications of microplastics and nanoplastics for human health. The Institute stated that they are just beginning research in this area and that they do not yet have relevant data on the impact of microplastics on health.
Lack of transparent data
In recent days, Monstat data on waste generated and processed for 2024, as well as the Annual Report on the Implementation of the Waste Management Strategy in Montenegro until 2030, have been published. Both documents contain data on the total amount of non-hazardous waste recycling. Namely, there is no record of the recycling rate of individual materials - for example, the amounts of recycled paper, plastic or glass packaging, but rather cumulative reporting.
During 2024, a total of 4.973 tons of waste paper, cardboard, plastic and glass packaging were collected and prepared for reuse and recycling, according to the Annual Report.
"Recycled waste volumes recorded a decrease of 7,1 percent compared to the previous year," according to Monstat data for 2024.
Given that MERS did not offer an explanation regarding the planned improvement of plastic waste recycling in Montenegro, CIN-CG journalists had access to the newly voted State Waste Management Plan 2025-2029 (State Plan), which was adopted at the session of the Government of Montenegro held on October 23, 2025.
The National Plan envisages that 22,5 percent of plastic packaging waste will be recycled by 2030, while energy processing of 50 percent of packaging waste is also planned. How these results will be achieved is not entirely clear, as trends indicate that the situation in this area on the ground has been deteriorating in recent years, despite the plans and promises that our authorities are making to the European Union in the negotiations on Chapter 27.
Plastic waste market in Montenegro
Čistoća explains that selectively separated waste from recycling yards and recycling centers is transported to the Landfill, as well as to the company Hemosan, registered for the collection, transport, temporary storage and final disposal of all types of waste.
At the Landfill Recycling Center, plastics such as HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) are processed into granules that are used in the domestic market for the production of plastic furniture, eco-friendly benches, tables, fences and baskets.
One of the customers is the company "Fin-ing", which founded the "3D room" in 2018 and was the first to introduce 3D printing technology in Montenegro.
“The price depends on the type of material and market trends; for ground HDPE/PP it usually ranges from 200 to 300 euros per ton plus VAT,” explains Aleksandar Mašić, director of “3D Room”.
He adds that they cooperate with Deponija Podgorica and Lovanje doo Kotor, which perform primary selection and grinding, while the "3D room" produces finished products from this material.
"Our average processing is from one to five tons per month. Quantities sometimes vary, but we solve this by planning and booking batches in advance," the 3D room states.
Incinerator - a controversial "solution"
The State Plan defines key directions for the development of infrastructure for processing, recycling and disposal of municipal waste in the country, with the aim of modernizing the system and harmonizing it with European standards. Two MRF (Material Recovery Facility) plants, waste processing and recycling facilities, are currently operating in Montenegro.
Separate collection of waste fractions, primarily paper/cardboard and plastic/metal, is carried out via containers. The collected waste is then transported to existing and planned MRF facilities, where the materials are sorted, cleaned and prepared for reuse and recycling.
"Currently, MRF facilities in Podgorica and Kotor are in operation, while recycling centers in Žabljak and Meljine (Herceg Novi) have been built but are not operational," the State Plan states.
The plan envisages the construction of new regional waste management centers in Nikšić and Bijelo Polje, which will include modern MRF capacities. The construction of MRF facilities is not planned for the municipalities of Pljevlja, Rožaje, Mojkovac and Možura. The plan includes the improvement of four existing recycling yards, the construction and modernization of regional waste management centers, as well as an increase in the capacity for the return and recycling of materials through MRF facilities.
In addition, it is planned to introduce facilities for thermal waste treatment, or incinerators, which should contribute to reducing the amount of waste disposed of in landfills.
“The estimated investment costs of the proposed waste management infrastructure are 400 million euros,” the State Plan states.
Deponija doo has already initiated the procedure for the construction of a waste incinerator, estimated to cost between 120 and 150 million euros. A feasibility study for a thermal waste treatment plant is currently underway.
Several experts and environmental organizations have pointed out that incinerators are not a solution, as they pose great risks to the environment and health, as toxic particles remain in nature and are not destroyed by the combustion process.
In 2019, the ToxicoWatch (TW) Foundation began multi-year biomonitoring of persistent organic pollutants around the Waste to Energy incinerator in Zubieta (Basque Country, Spain), ahead of its start of operations in 2020. Results from 2024 showed record-high concentrations of dioxins in chicken eggs - the highest ever recorded in Europe during the TW Foundation's 13 years of biomonitoring - with perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals and dioxins increasing by up to 300-fold in other samples compared to 2019.
Zero Waste Montenegro points out that the funds planned for the incinerator should be directed towards the development of basic waste management infrastructure, which practically does not yet exist in Montenegro.
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