Skopje residents who still do not know how to get rid of unnecessary electrical or electronic waste from their homes can solve the problem by simply calling the eco-line of the "Zero Waste" Waste Management Company. So, instead of in or next to municipal waste containers or landfills, this kind of waste will end up being recycled, which is a big contribution to environmental protection. According to the annual report of the Company for the past year 2022 for the organized collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment from households, a little more than 1.700 tons were collected and reported, which ended up in recycling and not in landfills.

On the eco-line 070 236 000, citizens and companies can report any type of electrical and electronic waste every working day, i.e. everything that runs on electricity and batteries, i.e. mobile phones, computers, laptops, tablets, heating and lighting devices, refrigerators, televisions, small kitchen appliances and the like. It is enough for them to leave their personal data and indicate the type and amount of waste.

 On the agreed day, a licensed transport company comes and performs a free collection literally from the doorstep of your home or business. All that is required is that the devices are disconnected from water and electricity and in an accessible place for download. The same goes for companies. Today, there is literally no company or activity that does not use electrical and electronic equipment. All electronic and electrical equipment that is not in operation and is not used, and is kept in accounting, after a specification or inventory has been made by the companies and a call to the eco-line is taken over in the same way. The difference is that all legal entities, after collecting the waste by "Zero Waste", receive all the necessary documents according to the Law on Waste Management, with which they can materially and accounting write off their electronic and electrical devices and prove that in a correct way that does not endanger the environment and the health of people and in accordance with the law they got rid of them - they explain from "Zero waste".

From there, they add that downloads are carried out two to three times a week, and that the interest of the citizens is high, on average there were 20 to 30 calls per day. Most often, citizens reported old TVs and washing machines.

The waste that is collected then ends up being recycled, that is, as specified by the Company, after a licensed company for the transport of such waste takes over the waste electrical and electronic equipment and then hands it over to enterprises that have a permit for storage and treatment, as prescribed by law.

Recycling in our country currently consists of a mechanical process of selection, sorting, separation and crushing. Sorting separates the parts that can be recycled and that have the character of secondary raw materials and that are exported further to neighboring countries. Non-recyclable parts are temporarily stored in environmentally acceptable and safe conditions, preventing the spread and leakage of harmful chemicals that can be released in the process. By recycling, we return what was thrown back into production, we significantly reduce the amount of waste, we do not waste useful resources from the earth, we save time, energy and money, and most importantly, we protect the environment - say "Zero waste"

As is known, the harmfulness of electronic and electrical waste, especially its non-mixing with other municipal waste, its inadequate treatment, destruction and disposal seriously threatens the environment and the health of citizens, because it leads to the release of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium , bromine in air, water and soil.

Children and fetuses are the most vulnerable because their bodies are developing, high concentration of these metals in the air, water and soil causes serious disorders of growth and development in children, behavioral disorders such as reduced attention, hyperactivity to more serious pathological behavioral problems, loss of hearing, brain damage and the like - warns the Society.

Therefore, they appeal to citizens to use the eco-line 070 236 000 as a safe and reliable way to properly dispose of electronic waste and waste batteries and accumulators.

 About 200 containers for small e-waste will be placed throughout the municipalities

In all major markets, malls, municipalities, state institutions, schools, kindergartens, companies, as well as points of sale that sell batteries and which, in accordance with the Waste Management Law, must have in their premises and places where consumers can properly way to dispose of old batteries, "Zero waste" has containers for waste batteries. They are green cylindrical containers on which it is written - "Place for waste batteries only".

- Soon we will have an infrastructure of containers for small electronic waste, which will be installed in all municipalities. A few years ago we had such attempts for containers for small electronic waste, but it turned out that we did not have enough awareness for selection, they did not fulfill the purpose for which they were made and were demolished the very next day, leaving behind an even bigger mess - say from "Zero". waste" and add that they are continuously working to raise public awareness about the primary selection of hazardous waste and that slightly more than 200 containers have been made, which will soon be placed in locations determined by the municipalities.