Analyses of the efficiency of the circular economy policies regarding the composting of the biodegradable waste in Croatia

Korica, Predrag (author), Žgajnar Gotvajn, Andreja (author)

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of two Croatian national strategies: reducing mixed municipal waste and enhancing the separate collection of biodegradable waste, including home composting. The study used two logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) models to decompose data into numerous influencing factors, enabling a detailed policy impact assessment tailored to the specifics of the national waste management system. Data on 31 biodegradable waste streams from 2017 to 2022, including national and EU financing mechanisms, were analyzed. Reports from 11 Croatian counties provided a robust foundation for evaluating trends in biodegradable waste management. Findings show moderate positive impacts from separate waste collection (1.06) and biodegradable waste management investments (1.28), where values above 1 indicate stronger positive effects. The strongest positive driver was biodegradable waste recovery, boosted in 2021–2022 by new legislation and equipment. Conversely, total composted municipal waste had a negative impact (0.13). Home composting had mixed impacts, slightly reducing waste sent to facilities while indicating that waste streams for composting remain of sufficiently high quality. The proposed models offer valuable tools for policymakers to evaluate, monitor, and optimize waste management strategies using accessible statistical data.

• Language: English
• Keywords: biodegradable waste, logarithmic mean Divisia index, LMDI, waste composting, waste policies, Croatia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 3816-3835
• Numbering: Vol. 27, iss. 5
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-171235
• UDC: 628.473
• ISSN on article: 1438-4957
• DOI: 10.1007/s10163-025-02343-z
• COBISS.SI-ID: 246076163
• Publication date in RUL: 20.08.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of material cycles and waste management : official journal of the Japan Society of Waste Management Experts
• Shortened title: Material cycles waste management
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1438-4957
• COBISS.SI-ID: 813671

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: biorazgradljivi odpadki, logaritemski srednji Divizijev indeks, kompostiranje odpadkov, politike ravnanja z odpadki, Republika Hrvaška

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0191
• Name: Kemijsko inženirstvo

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: I0-0022
• Name: Mreža raziskovalnih infrastrukturnih centrov Univerze v Ljubljani (MRIC UL)