EKOPAK NEWSLETTER FOR Q1 2015

It is our pleasure to inform you that we have fulfilled the prescribed general annual target of 20% for 2014. We have, through our network of collectors, collected and delivered for recycling 10.156 tons of packaging waste. This was a great challenge and we are particularly pleased to inform you that we have also met specific targets for all packaging materials: plastic, paper, metal, glass, wood, multilayered materials, and packaging of hazardous materials, thus justifying the trust of hundreds of our clients for the third year in a row.

We are grateful for all the trust we get by our valued clients. In return in 2015 we announce specifically designed Loyalty program, on which you will be soon informed.

In the EKOPAK, Q1 was marked by the preparation of the annual report for 2014 to be sent to the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Environmental Protection Fund of the Federation B&H.

In terms of meeting specific targets per packaging materials year 2014 was a special challenge. In the circumstances of the lack of municipal infrastructure and capacity for separate collection of packaging waste, separation habits, habits of collecting, recycling capacity for multi-layer packaging, glass and packaging of hazardous substances, we fulfilled our targets according to the given plan. We have collected, prepared for recycling and exported several hundred tons of these types of packaging materials.

We alse were active in regard of cooperation with local community. The ceremony for handover of infrastructure for the establishment of seven eco-islands was organized in the municipality of Vogosća. Now, citizens of this municipality can selectively dispose packaging waste. The municipality Vogošća became the first municipality in the Canton of Sarajevo which in cooperation with EKOPAK introduced separate collection of packaging waste.

Upon completion of the first promotion of the meaning and significance of the Green Dot we rewarded luckiest consumers, Leila Nedžibović from Tuzla and Jelena Nikić from Doboj. Thanks to the Green Dot, found on the packaging of social responsible companies Henkel and Nestlé, they received valuable prizes. Our plan in the future is to work on positioning and promoting international trademark Green Dot in order to have a closed cycle: packaging producers that mark their products with this symbol, consumers who choose on the shelves and buy their products, and all of them connected and involved in setting up a system of separate collection and recycling of packaging waste. We therefore invite all socially responsible companies to use the Green Dot on packaging of their products, because Ekopak is preparing new surprises and projects (Manual).

This year we supported the "Kids Kinđurijada" where through educational and creative workshops and play "Tvrle The Ecologist" youngest focused attention on the importance of proper disposal of packaging waste, as well as various possibilities for its utilization. We have also in cooperation with the Importanne Center and Open Gallery in Sarajevo organized socializing and learning about recycling through creative workshops and presentations for a large number of visitors, and also organized visits from schoolchildren.

Common concern about environmental protection and waste management resulted in cooperation between the International Burch University and EKOPAK. During the official visit to the campus on 3rd March 2015, Ekopak handed sets of bins for selective disposal of packaging waste. This makes it possible for more than 1.200 students to be involved in the process of selective collection of packaging waste.

In partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ekopak participated in the international trade fair and conference ECO EXPO 2015. The event was also attended by representatives of authorized operator Sekopak from Serbia. Sekopak, who is also a member of PRO EUROPE. Representatives of Sekopak shared their experiences in setting up a system with Ekopak, which uses the best experiences and also practices from other member states of PRO EUROPE.

First day of Spring in Zenica has been marked with traditional Zenica's event "Čimburijada". On the occasion Zenica Citizens Association carried out the action of cleaning Kamberović Polje. Ekopak supported the event where members of the Eco-club collected packaging waste that is later submitted for recycling. 

We use this opportunity to inform all our clients, associates and partners that the fulfillment of a high - prescribed targets for recycling and recovery of packaging waste for 2015 is going as planned and that we have the first results for the first quarter.

Detailed overview of our activities can be seen below. We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter as much as Ekopak Team enjoys in preparation and implementation of all our activities with a single objective: establishing a system, by lowest sustainable cost, that offers the greatest environmental benefits according to the best European practices and system that also provides benefits to the community.

Yours respectfully,

Ekopak team