Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a Balkan gem combining Ottoman heritage, Habsburg architecture, Adriatic mountain scenery, and one of the lowest costs of living in Europe.
Recycling & Waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bin system, bottle deposits, special disposal, and common mistakes.
Waste management in Bosnia and Herzegovina is developing but significantly below Western European standards. Sarajevo has a basic 2–3 stream separation system in some municipalities, but recycling infrastructure is inconsistent across the country. The informal waste-picking economy plays a significant role — waste pickers (sekundarci) extract valuable materials directly from bins. No bottle deposit system exists. No single-use plastic bag ban is in place. EU accession preparations are driving gradual improvements in environmental regulation and waste management infrastructure.
The Bin System
General / Residual Waste
Grey or BlackKomunalni otpad / Miješani otpad
- ✓Non-recyclable household waste
- ✓Food residues and food-contaminated packaging
- ✓Hygiene products (nappies, wipes, cotton wool)
- ✓Mixed or contaminated materials
- ✓Broken ceramics and porcelain
- ✓Vacuum cleaner bags and dust
- ✗Electronics and batteries (take to collection points)
- ✗Hazardous waste (paints, solvents, chemicals)
- ✗Medicines (return to pharmacy)
- ✗Large bulky items (arrange separate collection)
- ✗Glass bottles (use glass containers)
Recyclables
Green or Yellow (where available)Reciklabilni otpad / Žuta kanta
- ✓Paper and cardboard (dry and clean)
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (rinsed)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (in areas without separate glass containers)
- ✓Metal cans (rinsed)
- ✓Cardboard packaging (flattened)
- ✗Food-contaminated packaging
- ✗Wet or greasy cardboard
- ✗Electronics and batteries
- ✗Medicines or chemicals
- ✗Nappies or hygiene products
Glass
Green (igloo-style container)Staklena ambalaža / Igloo za staklo
- ✓Clear glass bottles
- ✓Green glass bottles
- ✓Brown glass bottles
- ✓Glass jars and containers
- ✗Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
- ✗Window glass and mirrors
- ✗Ceramics and porcelain
- ✗Crystal glass
Special Disposal
Large retailers (Tehnomanija, Links) accept old electronics when purchasing new ones. Municipal collection events occasionally organised by cantonal authorities. Private recycling companies: Eko-Toni, EKO-Plastika.
Includes phones, computers, cables, chargers, small appliances and fluorescent lights. Do not place in general waste — electronic waste contains hazardous materials and is regulated.
Collection boxes at entrances of major supermarkets: Konzum, Bingo, Mercator, Interspar. Also at some electronics shops and public buildings.
Both single-use and rechargeable batteries. Never place batteries in general waste — they contain toxic heavy metals. Tape over terminals of lithium batteries before disposal to prevent short circuits.
Return expired or unused medicines to any pharmacy (apoteka). Most pharmacies accept them for proper disposal at no charge.
Do not flush medicines down the toilet or put them in general waste — they contaminate water supplies. Return all medicines including creams, liquids and tablets.
Contact municipal waste company (JKP čistoća, tel: +387 33 447 822 for Sarajevo) to schedule a collection. Alternatively, take to the municipal waste facility (deponija).
Includes old furniture, appliances and mattresses. Do not leave items on the street without arranging a collection — can result in fines.
Cantonal environmental authority (Kantonalna agencija za okoliš). Municipal collection events are occasionally organised. Do not put in general waste.
Includes paints, solvents, pesticides, cleaning chemicals and lubricants. Contact your cantonal environmental authority for current disposal options.
Petrol stations (BH Petrol, OMV, Petrol, NIS Petrol) and car service centres accept used motor oil for collection.
Never pour motor oil down drains or onto the ground. Petrol stations accept it free of charge.
Second-hand shops (second hand radnje) in Sarajevo, Facebook Marketplace BiH, OLX.ba and the weekly Sarajevo flea market (buvljak) for reusable items. Worn textiles can go in general waste.
No formal textile collection bins exist as in Western Europe. The best option for reusable clothing is donation through charity shops or second-hand platforms.
Bulk Waste
Contact JKP čistoća (Sarajevo municipal waste company, tel: +387 33 447 822) to schedule a bulk item collection (krupni otpad) for furniture, appliances, or mattresses. Items can be left at the kerb on the agreed day. Alternatively, take items to the municipal waste facility (deponija). Many residents first offer items for free on Facebook Marketplace BiH or OLX.ba — reuse is strongly preferred before disposal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ! Mixing recyclables with general waste — buildings with a žuta kanta (yellow recycling bin) are growing; check with your building manager (upravnik zgrade) before assuming there is none.
- ! Disposing of batteries and electronics in general waste — these contain hazardous materials and have separate collection routes at supermarkets and electronics retailers.
- ! Leaving large items outside bins without scheduling a krupni otpad collection — this creates litter and can result in municipal fines.
- ! Putting glass in the general waste bin when an igloo-style glass container (staklena ambalaža) is nearby.
- ! Flushing wet wipes, medicines, or foreign objects — Sarajevo's older sewage system is prone to blockages.
Fines & Enforcement
Fines for illegal waste disposal (divlja deponija) are issued by cantonal and municipal authorities under entity waste management laws. Corporate/legal persons face KM 5,000–5,000,000 under the Criminal Code. Individual fines are set by cantonal regulations — enforcement is inconsistent in practice but increasing as EU accession preparations progress. Cantonal inspectorates periodically target illegal dumping hotspots, particularly around rivers and protected natural areas.
Practical Tips
- → If your apartment building has a dedicated recycling container (žuta kanta), use it — some Sarajevo buildings have been equipped through EU-funded municipal projects. Ask your building manager (upravnik zgrade).
- → The sekundarci (informal waste pickers) will collect valuable cardboard, metal and plastics from your general waste — if you want to support this, leave separated materials visibly next to the bin.
- → For larger quantities of clean recyclables (moving out, office clearance), contact private recycling companies: Eko-Toni or EKO-Plastika — some will pay per kilogram for clean cardboard, metal and specific plastics.
- → Sarajevo's green market for second-hand goods is active on Facebook Marketplace BiH and OLX.ba — reducing waste through reuse is practical and popular.
- → During Ramadan and major holidays, waste collection schedules may change — check your building notice board.