The City of Zagreb claims the location in front of Ilica 2 is the only possible one and meets all conditions, while the opposition and associations warn of damage to the main square's appearance.
The installation of five underground waste containers on the western part of Ban Josip Jelačić Square has sparked strong reactions from the public and the opposition, with Mayor Tomislav Tomašević's 2018 statement at the center of the debate. At that time, as an opposition councilor in the Zagreb City Assembly, he sharply criticized the concept of green islands and advocated for separate waste collection at the household level.
The 2018 footage was published by the Jakuševec Initiative, showing Tomašević warning about problems with overflowing containers and mess around plastic bins. "This will not be resolved until the concept of green islands is abandoned, as has been done in some other cities. They are not efficient enough to achieve high recycling rates," Tomašević said at the time, as reported by Hrvatska Danas.
The Ekologija grada Association responded to this statement, linking Tomašević's past demands with the current policies of the city government. "He probably still doesn't know the difference between separate collection and waste recycling, but at least he's been consistent," they said, adding that understanding the entire system is necessary for quality waste management.
Back in 2018, Tomašević expressed the view that citizens should not have to travel to green islands that are far away and often have full containers, and he called for a system where waste is collected separately directly in front of their homes. Critics see the current installation of underground containers, which are intended exclusively for residents with special cards, as a departure from these principles.
On Friday, the City of Zagreb announced that the location in front of Ilica 2 has undergone rigorous checks and meets all technical and safety conditions. "The specific location, in front of Ilica no. 2, has undergone rigorous checks and has been determined to meet all technical and safety conditions, without compromising the structural integrity of surrounding buildings or infrastructure. It also meets the proximity requirement for residents, with a maximum prescribed distance of 200 meters," the City stated, as reported by Zagreb.info.
A team of experts from various fields reviewed all points in the city center, but containers can only be placed where numerous underground and above-ground installations allow. Alternative locations such as Petrićeva, Margaretska, Tomićeva, or the public restroom on Ban Jelačić Square were not possible due to installations or tram traffic needs.
The City reminded that underground containers have already been installed at historically significant locations such as Zrinjevac, Kaptol, and Marulićev Square and are functioning properly. "To date, 275 underground containers have been installed at 66 locations in the city center, while outside the center, 552 semi-underground containers have been installed at 184 locations. Underground containers serve residents, while waste bins remain for visitors," they added.
Zagreb's HDZ warned that the city authorities have not answered key questions about the project for more than a week since the installation began. The head of Zagreb's HDZ, Ivan Matijević, stated that the City must clarify why the interest of a small number of users of private buildings has been given priority over the public interest and the preservation of the historical character of Zagreb's main square.
The party believes that underground containers ruin the appearance of Ban Jelačić Square and are inaccessible to other citizens and tourists because they are limited to users with special cards.
