CommunityZagrebPRE-KOM door-to-door collection: national leader in northern Croatia14 municipalities, 71 % separate collection PRE-KOM in Prelog operates door-to-door waste collection across 14 municipalities in northern Croatia: Prelog, Goričan, Donji Kraljevec, Sveta Marija, Donji Vidovec, Donja Dubrava, Kotoriba, Belica, Dekanovec, Domašinec, Podturen, Martijanec, Jalžabet, and Pribislavec. The network consistently ranks as Croatia's top performer in separate waste collection, averaging over 71 % and producing fewer than 73 kg of residual waste per resident: well below the national average of 247 kg. What residents do - Sort household waste into the collected fractions at source - Follow the door-to-door schedule provided by PRE-KOM for each street Why it matters In a country where national policy still favours waste-to-energy, these 14 municipalities prove that source separation at the household level works at scale: and that small municipalities can lead a large country. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - Waste operator: PRE-KOM, Prelog - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th editionpaytdoor-to-doorrecyclingmunicipal
CommunityZagrebZagreb Pay-As-You-Throw: fairer billing, less landfillCitizens control their own waste bill Zagreb introduced a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system following recommendations from Zelena Akcija under the EU-funded ERIC (Elevating Reuse In Cities) project. By late 2024 the city had cut landfilling by 20 % and boosted separate collection by 50 % compared to 2022: with full rollout expected by end of 2026. What changed - Open street bins in the city centre replaced with underground containers for separated and mixed waste - Elsewhere, bins relocated into buildings and courtyards; caged and semi-underground containers added - Households charged based on the volume of mixed waste they generate, not a flat fee How to participate - Sort household waste into the correct streams: you directly reduce your bill - Follow Zagreb's city environmental office for updates on PAYT rollout in your district - Support the advocacy to extend door-to-door collection to more neighbourhoods Why it matters PAYT aligns the incentive system: the less mixed waste you produce, the less you pay. Combined with infrastructure improvements, Zagreb is turning around one of Central Europe's larger urban waste footprints. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - ERIC project: Zelena Akcija - ERIC - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th editionpaytwaste-reductionurbanrecycling
CommunityLisbonPAYT pilots in Portugal: municipalities taking control of waste costsPay-As-You-Throw arrives in Portuguese cities In 2024 the Portuguese national government opened new Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) funding schemes, making it financially viable for municipalities to overhaul their waste collection systems. Municipalities including Fornos de Algodres, São João da Madeira, and Silves are implementing the measures they observed during study visits to Italy and Spain: including door-to-door collection schedules, smart bin tags that identify and reject incorrectly sorted bins, and digital monitoring tools. What PAYT means for residents - Households that separate waste correctly and generate less residual waste pay lower bills - The system creates a direct, fair link between individual behaviour and cost - Monitoring data helps municipalities pinpoint collection problems before they worsen What you can do - If your municipality is piloting PAYT, attend public information sessions and ask how your household can benefit - Advocate with your local council to apply for the new national PAYT funding - Follow ZERO for the latest funding rounds and municipal case studies Why it matters With 60 % of Portugal's waste going to overflowing landfills, cost-based incentives for households are one of the fastest levers available. PAYT pilots in Silves and São João da Madeira are the first step toward national uptake. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - National coordinator: ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th editionpaytwaste-reductionfundingmonitoring
CommunitySvilengradSvilengrad: PAYT + RFID smart bin systemBulgaria's most advanced household waste charging system Svilengrad, in southeastern Bulgaria, pioneered a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system enhanced with RFID technology to identify, measure, and record the waste output of individual households. Each bin has an RFID chip; collection vehicles read it automatically, linking volume to the corresponding household fee. The system has been extended to rural villages around Svilengrad: a rarity in Bulgaria, where most PAYT pilots remain city-centre only. What makes Svilengrad's model distinctive - RFID identification eliminates the need for manual monitoring or trust-based self-reporting - Rural extension makes the system equitable across the whole municipality, not just the urban core - Za Zemiata works with Svilengrad as an ERIC project partner to document and communicate the model - Svilengrad received the EcoMunicipality 2024 award alongside Gabrovo, in partnership with the French Embassy programme How to engage - Bulgarian municipalities: contact Za Zemiata for the Svilengrad PAYT+RFID design brief and implementation support - Policy advocates: the EU infringement procedure against Bulgaria for delaying mandatory PAYT makes Svilengrad's working model highly topical: cite it in submissions to the Ministry of Environment - Residents in Svilengrad: check your municipality's bin collection calendar and confirm your RFID chip is registered correctly Why it matters Most PAYT systems rely on sticker-based or bag-based mechanisms that are easy to game. Svilengrad's RFID approach makes every bin sortable, reportable, and verifiable: making it one of the most credible waste-reduction tools available to Bulgarian municipalities ahead of the nationally mandated PAYT rollout. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - Lead: Za Zemiata + Municipality of Svilengrad - ERIC project: Elevating Reuse In Cities - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th editionpaytrfidwaste-reductiontechnologypolicy
