📋 Tender Overview
Improper waste management is widespread in North Macedonia and a pressing environmental issue threatening public health and environment. To address it Switzerland engages with Pakomak to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of its packaging waste recovery system1 through digitalization and modernization of packaging waste selection2, collection, sorting, transportation and recycling. These efforts will significantly decrease the amount of waste disposed in landfills and contribute to the Green Agenda.
Country/region Topic Period Budget
North Macedonia
Climate change and environment
Employment & economic development
Environmental policy
Urban development
01.03.2025 - 28.02.2029
CHF 1’540’000
The project in brief
Background The poor management of communal waste in North Macedonia is a pressing environmental topic. The principal responsibility for its management is with the municipalities and their Public Utilities. The provision of waste services is poor due to obsolete and/or lack of equipment and infrastructure, poor management practices and deficient law enforcement. This results in littering, illegal dumpsites and widespread pollution of the environment, posing threats to public health and environment. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law was adopted in 2009 to reduce the amount of waste disposed in landfills, by transferring responsibility for the environmental impact of packaging waste (PW) to its producers and setting recovery targets. PW is among the biggest fraction in communal waste (25%). To date, only about 40% of the PW is collected and recovered, while over 60% still ends up on landfills and/or are dumped illegally in the environment. The lack of landfill disposal fees and flat fee for waste disposal for citizens is a disincentive for separate collection and recovery of PW and citizens select waste on voluntary basis. While fulfilling the ERP law requirements is an individual obligation for the producers, in practice they often work collectively to outsource this service by setting up Packaging Recovery Organizations (PROs). These PROs are responsible for meeting PW recovery obligations on behalf of the producers, who in return finance the PROs. Since 2009, five PROs emerged on the market, however until 2025 only Pakomak, managed to demonstrate constant growth and fulfilment of targets holding 48.2% of the market share.
Objectives Long-term vision: An effective packaging waste recycling system enables the country to reach national targets and in line with the Western Balkans’ Green Agenda. Overall Goal: Pakomak`s packaging waste recovery system is more effective and enables North Macedonia to reach national packaging waste recycling targets.
Target groups Primary target group are over 50 private businesses that are part of the Pakomak network of companies
