Closed on 30/06/2024
* Admissibility date reflects the date the case was officially registered. All other dates pertain to the date in which a stage was completed.
Case Description
Complaint
The complaint concerns (i) operation of the mechanical biological treatment plant and bioreactor landfill, as part of the CWMC Marišćina in Croatia; (ii) methane emissions from the CWMC and (iii) exceedance of ambient standards for hydrogen sulphide (H2S)/odour near the CWMC.
EIB-CM action
Based on the collected and analysed information, the EIB-CM prepared the conclusions report.
Conclusion
The reviewed evidence showed that:
A. In the last three years for which data were available (2019, 2020 and 2021), the mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant turned between 1.5% and 8%, instead of the planned 35%, of mixed municipal waste into fuel; and there were also issues with fuel disposal. Due to the fuel-related challenges, there was a risk of a reduction of the lifespan of the CWMC because of the faster filling of the landfill.
B. The CWMC contributed to methane emission reduction. The CWMC replaced non-sanitary landfills and is flaring/converting methane into energy. Construction of CWMCs and the separate collection of biodegradable waste are part of Croatia’s strategy to reduce methane emissions, in line with EU law.
C. In the past, the CWMC generated an unpleasant odour. Over the years, the operator has invested efforts in reducing the unpleasant odour. The local population still complained about the odour and the operator was taking further steps to address the issue of unpleasant odour.
With respect to the role of the EIB, the reviewed evidence showed that:
A. The EIB monitored the offtake of fuel. It enquired with the borrower but was not informed that: (i) less fuel is produced than planned; (ii) more waste is landfilled than planned; (iii) faster filling of the landfill may significantly reduce the lifespan of the CWMC, as required. Consequently, further possible actions of the EIB were limited given that the technical assistance offer was not taken up.
B. The EIB carried out its role as required concerning methane emissions. The EIB noted that the CWMC reduces greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, by: (i) replacing non-sanitary landfills; and (ii) having a gas collection system. The EIB made the use of its funds conditional on steps to reduce the biogas (including methane)-generation process.
The EIB carried out its role as required concerning the unpleasant odour. The EIB monitored the challenges concerning the unpleasant odour.
Outcome
The EIB-CM issued one action point when closing its compliance review in November 2022. The EIB was asked to utilise the experience gained concerning CWMC Marišćina in future similar projects.
Monitoring
The EIB-CM monitored the implementation of the action point. In January 2024, the EIB published the Managing refuse-derived and solid recovered fuels report. The summary for Croatia states that the current fuel from MBTs uptake is considered low compared to that of other alternative fuels used by cement plants. Taking this into account, the EIB-CM considered that the implementation of this action point was satisfactory and closed the monitoring process in January 2024. The implementation was delayed due to delays in the publication of the report.