The High Administrative Court has ruled that Zagreb's waste collection model is completely legal. Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic said on Monday that this was an important victory in the city administration's efforts to put Zagreb's waste management system in order.

“I welcome the High Administrative Court as a great and important victory for the acting city administration in its efforts to put the waste management system in Zagreb in order. It will encourage us to continue implementing the changes that were promised to the citizens who supported us in running the city,” Tomasevic said in a comment on the court decision of 20 May.

The court ruled on applications filed in 2022 and 2023 by several associations and individuals to determine the legality of the new system of waste collection and associated tariffs, which were introduced on 1 October 2022.

The municipality explained that the most important part of the court’s judgement related to the model of waste collection via new, blue bin bags, which the court found to be completely lawful.

“Our model of waste collection with blue ZG bags is based on the European ‘polluter-pays’ model and we are pleased that the High Administrative Court has also recognised it. This model has helped to quickly achieve the waste management objectives. In the first year of its application, waste separation has increased significantly, while the amount of mixed municipal waste sent to landfill has actually fallen by a quarter,” said Tomasevic.