Activities launched to remove waste tyres in Orjen Nature Park

As part of the national environmental campaign "Čuvaj da te čuva", an operation to remove illegally disposed waste tyres began in Orjen Nature Park, forming part of a broader effort to systematically address this long-standing environmental issue.

The activities are being carried out at the Ubli site, where more than 500 tonnes of waste tyres have accumulated over the years. This has led to the area being identified as one of the most significant environmental black spots in the country, particularly given its location within a protected natural area.

The event was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, as well as the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, the Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, Damjan Ćulafić, the Mayor of Herceg Novi, Stevan Katić, and the Director of the Orjen Development and Protection Agency, Predrag Spasojević.

The operation on Orjen forms part of a wider set of activities implemented under the "Čuvaj da te čuva" campaign, launched by the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro. The campaign brings together institutions, local communities, civil society, the media, and the business sector to protect the environment through concrete, coordinated measures on the ground.

The focus of these activities is the removal of illegally disposed tyres and raising awareness of the need to establish a sustainable system for collection and processing, bearing in mind that waste tyres pose a significant environmental and safety risk.

In this regard, initial steps have already been taken towards a systemic solution, including the establishment of a waste tyre processing facility at the landfill in Podgorica, thereby creating the foundation for their proper management and reuse.

The activities in Orjen aim not only to remediate the current situation but also to establish practices that will prevent further illegal dumping and ensure long-term management of this type of waste.

In the coming period, similar activities are planned at other locations across Montenegro, alongside strengthening institutional co-operation and applying the principles of the circular economy, treating waste as a resource rather than a burden.

The "Čuvaj da te čuva" campaign continues to serve as a platform that connects all relevant stakeholders, with the goal of improving attitudes towards the environment and raising the standards of environmental protection in Montenegro.