Ekopak Newsletter April 2014

Dear clients and associates of Ekopak, 

Welcome to our Newsletter for April 2014!

April in Ekopak had started with visit of the Minister of Construction, Physical Planning and Environmental Protection of the Una-Sana Canton, Mrs. Sinha Kurbegović and her associates’ where the cooperation in organization and realization of the "Tvrle the Ecologist" project in the Una-Sana Canton was agreed upon. The youngest citizens of all eight municipalities of this canton will soon have an opportunity to see the educational play "Recycling is not a Hassle" as well as to acquire dedicated comic books "Super Tvrle Saves the Nature" which is the beginning of the „Planet's Smile is in Your Hands“ project and which is going to continue next school year. 

Favorable cooperation with the Bosnian National Theater Zenica was marked by Ekopak's donation of bins thus all visitor of the theater can dispose packaging waste properly and ensure its recycling.

The first phase of the "Planet's Smile is in Your Hands" educational project in the Kladanj Municipality had been completed by organizing the final quiz on the importance of correct separate packaging waste disposal and its recycling. The best pupils, the ones who demonstrated the acquired knowledge best, were awarded with valuable prizes. The project in this municipality, in cooperation with the Kladanj Municipality and Public Utility Service Company "Komunalac" was implemented throughout March and April 2014 and it involved 400 pupils.

In cooperation with the Orašje Municipality and Public Utility Service Company "Komunalac" Orašje, we had provided 51 containers installed within schools, shopping centers and neighborhoods in Orašje which marked the start of the establishment of the separate packaging waste disposal system in the municipality.

At the International business and entrepreneurship fair Grapos-Expo held on April 22-25, in cooperation with the Public Utility Service "Komus" from Gračanica, we installed sets of bell-shaped waste containers and bins, that have already been put in use in Gračanica since the last year, in order to promote the system of separate packaging waste collection which is successful and functional in this municipality.

For the first time, we have supported the largest scale volunteering action in BiH "Let's Do It - Let's Clean the Planet in a Day" so as to collect the packaging waste separately for the first time within the action, and Ekopak, through its partners, public utility service and private collecting companies, had ensured that the collected packaging waste, instead of on landfills, ends up recycled.

Mid-April, for all our clients from and around Sarajevo, we have organized educational workshop where we transparently presented the results of our work so far, as well as the plans and activities in the future. Our distinguished clients, "Sarajevski kiseljak" and "Enker Tešanj" have responded to our invitations to present their models of packaging waste calculations and reporting. At the workshop, we have discussed the benefits and ways of the "Green Dot" trademark usage since Ekopak is the only authorized licensor of its application in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In accordance with that, we plan to organize promotional activities soon with the main goal to familiarize consumers with the "Green Dot" and to promote our clients that apply this trademark on the packaging of their products, as socially responsible companies that are participating in the establishment of the European system of packaging and packaging waste management through Ekopak. Along with that, we have also learned about the experience of Slovenia, where, after 10 years and successfully implemented system by Slopak, with the appearance of multiple packaging waste recovery companies, significant problems occurred, therefore, the relevant ministry is preparing for the changes in legislation which is going to clearly define who, under what condition and what way can be authorized operator of the system.  

Anent the Earth Day, at the Children of Sarajevo Square in front of the BBI Center, in exchange for any 5 pieces of packaging waste our citizens brought and disposed in purpose-specific bins, we have gifted with a seedling or a plant in a flowerpot, and in exchange for the plastic bags we gave away canvas tote bags. With all the aforementioned activities, we wanted to draw attention of the public on the importance of environmental protection and the importance of change in attitude towards packaging waste.

As the first company that sets the standards of the packaging and packaging waste management in our country, we opt for long-term and partner cooperation with all our clients and partners and together with them we work professionally, transparently and in accordance with the high-set European standards and legal requirements. This way, we provide additional value in building positive image of every client in the eyes of consumers and community. In this context, and wanting to get feedback and critics from all of our clients, we have prepared satisfaction questionnaire survey which is going to be delivered to you soon; hence we would appreciate if you can find time to respond to our questions. Our goal is to, as reported by the questionnaire, make additional improvements and advancements of our business in order to continue our existing cooperation even more successfully.

Additionally, we inform you that we are working on amendments to the Contract on the transfer of legal obligations in relation to the packaging and packaging waste management. Namely, in almost two years since Ekopak was authorized as the system operator, we have been accepted in the Pro-Europe Membership and we have become licensor for the "Green Dot" on the Bosnian and Herzegovinian market, thus we will define the conditions and ways of application of this international trademark and it is going to be free of charge for all our clients. Apart from that, based on our experience so far and in cooperation with Employers' Association of the Federation of BiH, we have made improvements on the existing articles, so soon, we are going to be able to offer the new Contract for which we honestly hope is going to be one step forward in building our mutual trust and long term successful cooperation. 

More detailed information about our activities can be seen in the following segments.

We hope that you look forward to and gladly read Ekopak's Newsletter and that you find our projects and activities as interesting as we do, because they are guaranty that the system of separate packaging waste collecting and its recycling is being built on solid grounds, high standards and mutual trust and respect, as well as on mutual satisfaction.

With utmost confidence in the aforementioned, we send our kind regards as we at Ekopak are having a very intensive and activities filled start of May.

Respectfully, 

Ekopak Team