Environmental Protection and Energy Minister Tomislav Coric said on Thursday Zagreb's emergency teams had responded in the best possible way in putting out a fire at the Jakusevac waste disposal site.

Speaking to the press ahead of a cabinet meeting in Cakovec, he said the fire was contained but that firefighters were still on the ground.

“As for the quality of the air … it’s not the best for the most sensitive citizens, which is why the City of Zagreb has responded with statements and instructions,” the minister said, adding that “there are floating particles in the air, which is a consequence of the settling of burnt material. As for other potential matter in the air, all readings are within the acceptable parametres.”

The fire at a recycling yard at Jakusevac broke out on Wednesday evening. After it was contained, the Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health conducted readings and preliminary results showed no hazardous particles in the air.

According to emergency medical services, no one was injured in the fire.

Asked if he was satisfied with how the City of Zagreb was dealing with waste, Minister Coric said activities over the past year were more than satisfactory. “Naturally, additional steps forward need to be made and I believe this will be done over the next year.”