Waste Management
Packaging Waste Management
To ensure quality and quantity of food, various chemical agents are used in agriculture today. In
spite of necessity and benefit of these products, the issue of safety of those using these products,
manufacturers, consumers, is increasing, particularly the harmful effect they have on the environment.
Mineral and artificial fertilizers mostly consist of N, P, K. Those are usually manufactured in the
form of salts required for plant growth. According to their chemical composition, they are mostly
nitrates and sulphates.
Pesticides are used for protection against insects, mites, weed and other pests. Among the
chemical industries, it is the pesticide industry that produces the largest amount of substances that may
cause carcinogenic illnesses, damages to genetic material and reproductive function, and that are mostly
disposed directly into the environment. Production of pesticides worldwide is increasing, and at present
it is estimated at approximately 5 million tones of pesticide per year. About 12% of pesticides is used in
the private sector: households, private gardens and lawns. According to mode of action, pesticides are
divided into:
 insecticides (against insects),
 herbicides (against weed and other unwanted plants),
 fungicides (against fungi),
 acaricides (against mites),
 rodenticides (against rats)
 nematocides (against worms) and
 molluscicides (against snails).
Packaging plays a central role in the safe delivery of these chemicals to targeted markets,
reducing the risk of rash and leakage in the supply chain, and exposure of workers, to the minimum.
The packaging should also be managed so as to meet other objectives of environmental
protection, that are becoming increasingly important in terms of widespread public awareness on
environmental sustainability. Packaging management is a dynamic and innovative process. Strategies
mentioned in this paper relate to packaging safety management issues.
Packaging Waste
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Waste Management
Packaging Waste Management Legislation
Sustainable management of natural values and environmental protection are governed by the
Law on Environmental Protection as a general act, separate laws and other regulations governing the
environmental protection. Applicable regulations govern the area of waste management only partially
(depending on type and features of waste), environmental protection measures against harmful effect
of waste are stipulated, and competence is shared between republic authorities and local government
units. These regulations are generally not harmonized with the EU legislation.
Inappropriate handling of waste represents one of the greatest environmental issues in the
Republic of Serbia. This conclusion is based on numerous analyses of environmental status on the
territory of the Republic of Serbia performed over the last few years, and numerous laws and other
regulations lack unified objectives and fail to provide satisfactory effects.
The Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste governs the environmental protection terms the
packaging needs to meet in order to be marketed, and terms regarding packaging and packaging waste
management, reporting on packaging and packaging waste as well as economic instruments.
Concerning the packaging containing hazardous substances, the Law on Packaging Waste
stipulates that it is more important to ensure that the packaging contaminated with hazardous residues
is safely treated and disposed of, than to be recycled.
Legislation
1. The Law on Waste Management (”Official Gazette of the RS“, nos. 36/2009 and 88/2010)
2. The Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 36/2009)
3. Rulebook on form of document for waste movement and instructions for filling in the form (”Official
Gazette of the RS“, no. 114/2013)
4. Rulebook on form of document for waste movement and instructions for filling in the form (”Official
Gazette of the RS“, no. 114/2013)
5. Rulebook on form of daily records and annual report on waste with instructions for filling in the form
(”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 95/2010)
6. Rulebook on packaging and packaging waste management report forms with instructions for
implementation (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 21/2010)
7. Rulebook on categories, testing and classification of waste (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 56/2010)
8. Rulebook on contents of declaration and instructions for use of plant protection products, as well as
specific requirements and marks of risk and warning for humans and environment and the manner of
handling the plant protection product empty packaging (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 21/2012)
9. Rulebook on types of packaging for pesticides and fertilizers and destruction of pesticides and
fertilizers (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 35/1999)
10. Rulebook on chemicals for which the manufacturer or importer is obliged to establish deposit charge
for individual packaging of that chemical and the deposit amount for specific packaging according to the
type of packaging or chemical it contains (”Official Gazette of the RS“, no. 99/2010)
11. Rulebook on the manner of storing, packing and marking the hazardous waste (”Official Gazette of
the RS“, no. 92/2010).
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Waste Management
Penal Provisions Stipulated by the Law on Packaging Waste
A company, enterprise or another legal person shall be fined with RSD 500,000 to 1,000,000 if they:
- place on the market the packaging that does not fulfill the stipulated requirements (Articles 7 to
14);
- fail to mark the packaging in the stipulated manner (Article 15);
- fail to receive the waste in the stipulated manner (Article 18 paragraphs 1 and 4);
- fail to organize space for reception, collection, classification and temporary storage of packaging
waste (Article 19 paragraph 1);
- fail to handle packaging non-municipal waste in the stipulated manner (Article 21);
- fail to handle packaging waste contaminated by hazardous materials in the stipulated manner
(Article 22);
- fail to enable reception, collection, reuse, recycling or disposal of package waste in the
stipulated manner (Article 23);
- fail to provide waste packaging management on behalf of manufacturer, importer, packer / filler
or supplier whom they signed a contract with (Article 24 paragraph 2);
- manage non-municipal packaging waste without the Ministry permit and contrary to terms
stipulated in the permit (Article 25 paragraph 5);
- fail to handle packaging waste in accordance with Article 26 of this Law;
- fail to handle non-municipal packaging waste in accordance with Article 27 of this Law;
- handle the packaging waste without the Ministry permit (Article 31 paragraph 1);
- fail to organize collection, classification and temporary storage centers for packaging waste in
accordance with Article 35 of this Law;
- fail to ensure reuse, recycling or disposal of packaging waste in accordance with Article 36 of
this Law;
- fail to inform the public and end users on waste and packaging waste management;
- fail to submit the Annual Report on waste and packaging waste management to the Agency
(Article 39);
- fail to submit the Annual Report on packaging waste management they are contractually obliged
to submit (Article 40);
- fails to collect the deposit for single-use packaging or charge for returnable packaging from enduser, fail to receive that packaging from end-user, or fail to refund the collected deposit/charge
upon return of packaging (Article 44)
- fail to establish the amount of charge the consumer should pay for individual packaging
containing the chemical or establish the charge contrary to this Law, fail to collect the
returnable packaging that contained chemical from the vendors, as well as the created
packaging waste, at their own expense, fail to receive the returnable packaging containing the
chemical and fail to refund the consumer in case of termination or termination of their business
activities (Article 45 paragraphs 1 to 4);
- fail to collect the charge for individual packaging containing the chemical in the stipulated
amount, fail to accept the returnable packaging that contained the chemical, as well as the
created packaging waste, in order to submit it to the manufacturer or importer, of fail to refund
the charge to the customer upon the return of packaging (Article 45 paragraphs 6 to 8.)
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Description, Type and Characterization of Packaging and Packaging Waste
Packaging is the product made of materials with various features, used for putting in, keeping,
handling, delivery, presentation of goods and protection of its content, and it includes items used as
additional tools for packaging, wrapping, tying, sealing, preparation for shipping and labeling.
Packaging may be:
• Primary – packaging the product for sale is directly packed in;
• Secondary – packaging in which a larger number of manufacturing units with primary packaging is
packed. In most of cases, this packaging may be disposed of as non-hazardous material.
• Tertiary – packaging in or at which several secondary packaging units are placed for transport.
Depending on the hazardous features influencing human health and the environment, packaging waste
may be:
• Non-hazardous packaging waste – no asterisk at the end of index number
• Hazardous packaging waste – always an asterisk at the end of index number
Packaging for Chemicals in Agriculture
Rulebook on types of packaging for pesticides and fertilizers and destruction of pesticides and
fertilizers stipulates type of packaging for pesticides and fertilizers so that they could be packed and
marketed; destruction of pesticides after expiration date, as well as destruction of packaging that
contained pesticides and fertilizers.
Packaging for pesticides and fertilizers needs to meet the following terms:
- its shape needs to be different from the consumer goods packaging (food and other products);
- it needs to contain inscription "pesticide" or "fertilizer";
- it needs to be made of materials preventing the loss of the packed content;
- material the packaging is made of, along with closing system, may not be susceptible to agressive
chemicals, nor they may form any kind of hazardous and dangerous substance with the packed content;
- all the components of packaging and system for closing have to meet the usual requirements of
handling, to avoid damage during transport;
- the closing system needs to maintain the originality of closing until use;
- for liquid formulations, it needs to be smooth on the inside, and the neck of the opening needs to be
wide enough to enable easy pouring without spillage (splashing and dripping);
- it needs to have a label (logo) of the packaging manufacturer;
- it needs to be certified by the registered institution for material resistance testing.
Collection and Destruction of Empty Packaging of Dispatched Chemical Substances in
Agriculture
Collection and destruction of various empty packaging items is performed in such a way as to
prevent hazardous impact on humans, useful organisms and the environment. Packaging destruction is
decontamination of inner and outer packaging surfaces through application of stipulated methods and
its physical destruction, for which the appropriate technology is used, and the selection depends on type
and physical and chemical properties of the packaging.
Packaging that may be made appropriate for reuse through suitable procedures is given for
further processing to manufacturer of pesticide or fertilizer, or to representative of foreign
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Waste Management
manufacturer. Collection of packaging that contained pesticides or fertilizers is organized by the
manufacturer or representative of foreign manufacturer of pesticides or fertilizers.
Collection and destruction of empty packaging may not be done by throwing it away into water
(sources, wells, rivers, lakes, ponds and sea), pits, channels, sewerage networks, next to roads, at
landfills, as well as in any other way that may cause environmental pollution.
Pesticide residue and packaging are destroyed, as a rule, at the locations designated for
collection and destruction of waste materials from settlements. Destruction of empty packaging
(cardboard boxes and foils) may not be performed by throwing it away into water (sources, wells, rivers,
lakes, ponds and sea), pits, channels, sewerage networks, next to roads, at landfills, as well as in any
other way that may cause environmental pollution.
Collection and destruction of empty packaging (cardboard boxes and foils) by the end-user may
be performed by incineration in a specially dug pit on the non-agricultural land. Collection of empty
plastic and metal packaging (bottles, canisters and barrels), as well as glass bottles by the end-user
(individual farmers), is performed by returning those to the agricultural pharmacy, and agricultural
holdings perform that by delivering them to regional collection centers for destruction. The existing
declaration needs to remain on the empty packaging in order to establish the origin of the pesticide
packaging.
Before returning the packaging, the end-user is obliged to wash out the pesticide packaging at
least three times when using the pesticide, and the liquid used for washing needs to be used together
with the treatment solution prepared.
Empty packaging needs to be punctured (except for the one made of glass) in three places in
order to make it useless for other purposes. Packaging is returned together with the closing system
(cap).
Empty packaging is transported from regional collection centers to the manufacturer or
exporter, and it is destroyed at plant for recycling and controlled incineration of toxic waste.
Costs of collection and destruction of empty packaging are borne by the manufacturer or
importer, documented by the report of collection center on packaging destruction, UA form.
Table
1.
UA
Form
-
Report
on
Destruction
of
Packaging
and
Unused
Name and address of the company or
another
legal
person
performing
destruction
Name of the employee performing
destruction
Name of place and location at which
destruction is performed
Nr
Type of packaging or pesticide Name of manufacturer or
destroyed
importer
Packaging Waste
Comment
Pesticides
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Waste Management
Destruction manner and method.
Destruction Order issued by federal
inspector for plant protection
6
_______________________
_______________________
(place, date)
(signature of responsible person)
Manufacturers are obliged to properly inform sellers and consumers on numerous proteprties of
products and packaging in terms of hazardous components they contain, and the manner of handling
the product and packaging when they become waste.
Program of Measures for Further Activities
As this is hazardous waste, it is more important to ensure that packaging contaminated with
hazardous residue is treated and disposed of safely, than to be recycled. Some of actual proposals for
management of packaging waste from chemical substances used in agriculture are:
- raising public awareness,
- professional training of farmers handling chemicals,
- improve the system of monitoring, control, imposition and collection of fees, intensify fining of
business and other entities for improper handling of packaging from chemical substances used
in agriculture,
- organizing collective stations for receipt of hazardous packaging waste,
- introduce a system of deposit charge payment.
Source:
1. www.ekoplan.gov.rs
2. www.hzpss.hr
3. http://www.well.org.rs/
4. Correct Use of Plant Protection Products (Pesticides) – United States Agency for International
Development (USAID)
Packaging Waste