Many milestones have been reached concerning waste management in North Macedonia as its third EPR recalled. However, a lack of regional infrastructure results in the use of municipal non-compliant landfill with no management of waste at source. Lack of capacity at the institutional organization level and an absence of public awareness hinder the recycling related activities. These different issues also impede the adequate collection and publication of data by types of waste.
The country adopted the Law on Waste Management in 2004 and since then, is transposing the EU waste management acquis to its legislation. It has also developed a National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) to set the objectives of its policy in terms of environmental, economic and social goals, and national and regional Waste Management Plans as road maps to carry out their national policy. The first NWMS ran from 2008 to 2020, and a second one, prepared within the IPA project planned to be realised in 2022, will cover a new period of 12 years from 2021 to 2033. However, some challenges still crop up in the different areas.
Under the UNDA project, UNECE conducted a comprehensive study to help the country fill the gaps. An assessment of the legislation regarding the compliance with the EU requirement, of the implementation of the 2008-2020 NWMS and the Waste Management Strategy’s Action Plan, revealed the strengths and what needs to be improved. It recommended to further achieve EU compliance, update the NWMS by improving the targets, the information and data collection, the operator’s training, as well as continue to engage in raising awareness programs and campaigns for the population. Further activities are expected, such as the setting up of a waste management public awareness programme and campaign and the assistance in the development of regional plans to reorganize waste management with facilities per two regions and the closure of all non-compliant landfills and dumpsites. These measures will contribute to help the country achieving relevant SDG targets.