Abstract

The aim of this project is to evaluate environmental degradation in Kosovo, by concentrating on waste management, and to give recommendations on how to improve waste management in Kosovo, through implementing circular economy concepts. More specifically, the focus of the project will be circular economy in the cycle of waste management, the possibilities and obstacles to implement it in Kosovo. Case studies are used to explain the waste management in UK and India and their process of switching from a traditional economy to a circular economy; as well as an analysis of Western Balkans’ experiences with waste management to understand the environment that Kosovo is surrounded with. In the end, the recommendations given will be directed to the government of Kosovo in order to improve waste management and influence businesses to adopt circular economy in their business plans. This study uses a mixed research technique by combining desk research and in-depth semi-structured interviews with Kosovar companies. The findings from the research show that waste management in Kosovo is faced with several problems, most notably in the aspects of weak enforcement of laws and strategies; poor waste collection infrastructure; high number of illegal dumpsites; lack of incentives to adapt circular economy principles, and lack of data and information. As a result of these problems, circular economy has not been able to be developed to a large extent. The analysis of the case studies assisted on deriving main recommendations for the Government of Kosovo which would improve environmental sustainability, incentivize any of the 3R concepts and improve the waste management situation in Kosovo. The recommendations are divided in three main categories: policy interventions at-large; support to companies to embrace circular economy; and better-managed landfills.

Publication Date

7-2020

Document Type

Senior Project

Student Type

Undergraduate

Advisor

Venera Demukaj

Advisor/Committee Member

Gent Salihu

Campus

RIT Kosovo

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