Dubrovnik makes decision to restrict single-use plastics

Dubrovnik

As part of the “Plastic Smart Cities” project of the Sunce Association, the City Council of the City of Dubrovnik at its last session on August 30, adopted a decision on restricting the use of single-use plastics.The decision applies to institutions and companies.

The decision prescribes measures which in administrative bodies and in institutions and companies owned and co-owned by the City of Dubrovnik determine the restriction of the use of single-use plastics and the replacement of certain items used in business with environmentally friendly solutions, all in order to prevent and reduce adverse the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

It is prescribed that the use of single-use plastic is limited to all public events that the City of Dubrovnik organises or co-organises or finances or co-finances. The city, institutions and companies are obliged to ensure or arrange with the organiser of public events a separate collection of waste at the venue, as well as its timely and appropriate collection and disposal.

Furthermore, in the operations of the City, institutions and companies, it is now necessary to apply the criteria and benchmarks of green public procurement whenever possible. 

One of the measures prescribed by the decision also refers to the digitisation of documents and the promotion of the use of electronic documents among employees, officials and employees whenever possible.

With the adoption of the Action Plan for the Reduction of Plastic Pollution in the City of Dubrovnik for the period 2021-2026 in April 2021, and the implementation of which began in June with the organisation of a two-day workshop, the City of Dubrovnik became the first city in Croatia to have such a document. 

(Tourist Board Dubrovnik)

The action plan was adopted within the Plastic Smart Cities Croatia project, which was joined in October 2020 by the City of Trogir. Partner projects for Plastic Smart City Dubrovnik are: WWF Mediterranean, Sunce Split Association and the City of Dubrovnik.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has launched the Plastic Smart Cities initiative which supports coastal towns and villages in taking action to stop plastic pollution. Other Mediterranean and European cities, such as Nice, Izmir, Tangier, Amsterdam and Venice, are also part of this initiative.

The Dubrovnik decision covers a total of 10 key measures:

Placing containers for separate waste collection (plastic, paper, glass, electronic waste, bio-waste, mixed municipal waste, etc.) in appropriate places within institutions and separating waste at the place of origin, whenever possible, as well as ensuring adequate shipment and disposal all separately-collected waste.

Digitisation of documents and promotion of the use of electronic documents among employees, officials and employees whenever possible.

Replacing disposable plastic cups with glass or other reusable cups.

Replacement of disposable plastic straws with reusable solutions (straws made of alternative materials such as paper, bamboo, steel).

Replacement of disposable plastic cutlery and plastic coffee spoons with reusable metal utensils or available alternatives made of natural and biodegradable or compostable materials (wood, paper, fiber, sugar cane, bamboo cane, etc.).

Ensuring the possibility of using reusable cups on coffee and water machines, ie completely eliminating the use of disposable plastic cups.

Ensuring the supply of beverages and other liquids exclusively in returnable packaging whenever possible.

Replacement of all disposable plastic bags with reusable canvas or paper bags whenever possible.

Gradual replacement and procurement of office supplies and hygiene supplies without plastic packaging whenever possible.

Gradual replacement and procurement of cleaning and personal hygiene products with environmentally friendly ingredients (such as natural cleaning products) and the use of products that can be supplemented in order to reduce the generation of packaging waste.