“From Education to Action: The First Collective Composting System Established in the Village of Ropotovo”

As part of our activities to strengthen local capacities for sustainable waste management, we successfully implemented a three-day composting training with employees of the Public Utility Company Dolneni. The workshops were held on 03.04.2025, 15.04.2025 and 06.05.2025 in the village of Ropotovo, which resulted in the establishment of a system for the collection and processing of organic waste at the local level.

Day 1: The Big Picture – Why Process Organic Waste? (03.04.2025)

The training began by introducing the participants to the impact of organic waste on the environment, methane emissions and the principles of the circular economy. The attendees discussed the role of composting in sustainable agriculture and how local institutions can lead such initiatives.

In the second part, the science behind the composting process was explained — the stages of decomposition, the role of microorganisms, and the balance between “brown” and “green” materials.

The working day ended with a practical exercise in selecting suitable locations in the village of Ropotovo for setting up organic waste collection stations and a green composting zone.

Key message from the participants:

“Today we realized that organic waste is not just a burden for landfills, but a resource that we can use for a cleaner and greener municipality. Together, we must work on greater awareness and responsibility towards the environment.”

Day 2: Composting Techniques (15.04.2025)

The second day was dedicated to practical techniques for building and maintaining a compost pile. Participants learned how to properly place materials, control moisture levels, aeration and drainage, as well as when and how to turn the compost pile.

This was followed by a session on recognizing and solving the most common problems in composting — bad odors, slow decomposition, the appearance of pests and excess moisture.

The workshop ended with training on safe waste handling, adapting practices for different seasons and defining institutional responsibilities in the composting system.

Key message from the participants:

“Composting is not a complicated process — with a little knowledge and care we can turn waste into something useful and valuable for our gardens and parks. If this can be applied in Germany and Switzerland, why not here too. The system is created by people and together we must contribute to a better quality of life.”

Day 3: Use of compost and long-term planning (06.05.2025)

The last day was dedicated to the use of prepared compost, its benefits and possibilities for application in public and private green spaces.

As part of the practical work, stations for collecting organic waste were set up at predetermined locations and a green composting zone was installed within the perimeter of the Dolneni Public Utility Company.

The day ended with the creation of a long-term plan for the operation and maintenance of the compost and with a statement to the media, where representatives of the Municipality of Dolneni and the Dolneni Public Utility Company shared their commitment to continuing activities for sustainable management of organic waste on the territory of the Dolneni Municipality.

Key message from the participants:

“We are proud that today, for the first time in our country, we are setting up a collective composting system and thus becoming an example for other municipalities in promoting sustainable waste processing practices.”

The activity is part of the project: “Smart Green Village for a Sustainable Future”, which is implemented with the support of the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans.