Many initiatives begin as part of project activities. During its implementation, the “E-cirKULiraj” competition grew beyond its initial concept and became an example of successful cooperation, coordination, and engagement among all involved stakeholders.
Organised as part of the project Scaling up eWASTE Circular Economy in the ADRION Region (CircleWaste), the competition aimed to encourage children, parents, and educational institutions to manage e-waste more responsibly and to better understand its connection to environmental protection.
E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally, making its proper collection and recycling increasingly important for the preservation of natural resources and the development of a circular economy. In this context, we are particularly pleased by the level of participation and engagement, as well as by the way this issue was recognised as important by the participants.
As part of the first phase, educational workshops were conducted in 26 preschool and school institutions across 13 municipalities in Montenegro, reaching a total of 694 children. This was followed by the e-waste collection phase, during which children, students, teachers, educators, and parents worked together to raise awareness about the proper management of electronic waste.
Between 22 April and 8 May, approximately 800 kg of electrical and electronic waste was collected. We are especially pleased to announce the winners of the competition in the following categories:
Preschool institutions: JPU “Bambi”, Tivat
Primary schools: JU Primary School “Mihailo Žugić”, Odžak
Secondary schools: JU Educational Centre Plužine
The Zero Waste Montenegro team would like to thank all partners and participants whose commitment and support were essential to the successful implementation of this competition. Based on the results and the strong response, it is clear that this topic has significant potential in Montenegro, and we hope that similar activities will receive even broader support in the future and continue through new initiatives.
The “E-cirKULiraj” competition is implemented within the Interreg ADRION project CIRCLEWASTE, funded by the European Union with co-financing from the Ministry of Public Administration, in cooperation and with the support of partners: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Crnogorski Telekom, Deponija d.o.o. Podgorica, the Bureau for Education Services, and the Eco-Schools programme.