The Vinča waste-to-energy plant near Belgrade has processed its first one million tonnes of municipal waste, marking a significant milestone in the Serbian capital’s transition away from traditional landfill disposal.
Between August 2021 and August 2026, more than three million tonnes of non-hazardous municipal waste were delivered to the Vinča complex, with approximately one-third undergoing thermal treatment rather than being sent to landfill.
The processing of the first million tonnes of waste generated around 455,213 MWh of electricity and 293,172 MWh of heat, demonstrating the facility’s role in converting part of Belgrade’s residual waste stream into useful energy.
The plant operates with continuous emissions monitoring, with automated systems tracking environmental parameters around the clock during waste treatment and energy recovery. This monitoring is intended to ensure that the facility operates within the applicable environmental requirements.
The Vinča project was developed through a public-private partnership between the City of Belgrade and Beo Čista Energija, a project company established by ITOCHU Corporation, Veolia and infrastructure investor Marguerite.
The facility plays a central role in Belgrade’s strategy to reduce reliance on the old Vinča landfill, which had become one of the city’s major environmental challenges. Energy recovery provides an alternative treatment route for residual municipal waste that cannot be economically recycled or otherwise recovered.
The long-term environmental performance of the project will depend on maintaining a clear waste hierarchy, with recycling and material recovery taking priority over energy recovery. Only waste that cannot reasonably be reused or recycled should ultimately be directed to thermal treatment.
For Belgrade, the first million tonnes represent an important operational milestone for the waste-to-energy complex. The next stage will be to combine reliable energy recovery with higher recycling rates, improved waste separation and stronger management of the city’s overall waste stream.
