At the site of the former PPK Velebit industrial complex in Gospić, Croatia, waste was illegally deposited and buried over a number of years. As soon as the necessary legal and operational prerequisites were met, including the adoption of amendments to the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and with the support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, initiated a comprehensive remediation programme for the site. The objective is permanent waste removal, the protection of public health and the environment, and the prevention of any further spread of contamination.
Due to the extent and complexity of the current situation, as well as the need to coordinate activities with the investigations conducted by the competent authorities, the remediation programme is implemented in phases.
Phase 1 - Waste Located Adjacent to the Silo
The first phase includes the removal of approximately 4,500 tonnes of mechanically processed waste located adjacent to the silo, including shredded cables and plastic waste.
For this phase, a public procurement procedure has been launched - Service removal and disposal and/or recovery of improperly disposed waste in Gospić (Phase 1) | Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund
Phase 2 - Waste in Big Bags and Other Stored Waste
The second phase concerns the disposal of waste stored in facilities and “big bag” sacs, comprising approximately 650 tonnes of non-hazardous waste and approximately 4,500 tonnes of hazardous waste.
The Fund conducted additional market consultations to ensure that the procurement requirements correspond more accurately to the actual technical requirements of specialised treatment facilities, followed by the public procurrent procedure - Service of removal and disposal and/or recovery of improperly disposed waste in Gospić (Phase 2 - Big bags exposed to the elements) | Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund
Phase 3 - Remediation of Buried Waste
The third phase is the most demanding and the largest in terms of volume, involving the remediation of nearly 35,000 tonnes of buried waste spread across an area of approximately two hectares.
For this phase, an extensive market analysis was launched, in the scope of which enquiries were sent to foreign hazardous waste disposal operators across the European Union, as well as enquiries regarding the possibility of permanent disposal in closed former salt mines.
The aim is to secure a solution that provides the highest level of protection for human health and the environment while ensuring implementation within reasonable timeframes. The final remediation model for the buried waste will be determined upon completion of market consultations.
Throughout the entire process, air and water quality test are regularly carried out. So far, measurements have not shown any deviations that would pose a threat to human health, and the network of measuring stations for monitoring water quality is being further expanded to ensure continuous and reliable monitoring of the situation.
The Fund has publicly disclosed all available waste composition analyses prepared for the needs of competent authorities in order to make the remediation process fully transparent towards citizens, the local community and interested economic operators.
The Fund is actively cooperating with the Lika-Senj County authorities and representatives of citizens through the continuous exchange of information regarding the course of remediation. As part of these efforts, additional funding has been secured for fencing the site and the installation of video surveillance, thus further reducing the risk of unauthorised access and additional pollution.
