Young People Propose How the Balkans Can Finally Say Goodbye to Single-Use Plastics
28, February 2025
The initiative “Banning Single-Use Plastics,” launched by Aleksandar Karatošo, Mila Mladenova, Filip Grbić, Stipe Lozina, and Danijel Bačan, aims to support local communities in the gradual phase-out of single-use plastics—such as bags, straws, cutlery, and packaging. But they don’t stop there.
This initiative offers a clear and actionable plan:
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Education and public campaigns to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic on human health and the environment.
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Legislative measures, where municipalities adopt local regulations banning plastic use in public institutions and at public events.
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Support for small businesses, through subsidies, tax incentives, and training programs to help them transition to eco-friendly alternatives.
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Green entrepreneurship, promoting and developing small and medium enterprises that offer biodegradable packaging, textile bags, metal straws, and similar solutions.
The initiative also focuses on schools as hubs for environmental education for younger generations, as well as the creation of Green Councils—local bodies that monitor implementation and help communities stay on a sustainable path.
This policy can be implemented in any municipality seeking to align its regulations with EU directives while also developing a green economy. Plastic has become a daily habit—but thanks to this initiative, so can its disappearance.
Other initiatives developed by the program’s participants can be found in the publication “Green Horizons – Policy Pathways to a Sustainable Future.”
The relevant section of the publication regarding this initiative is available here: Banning Single-Use Plastics.
