Montenegro activists map illegal dumpsites to improve waste management

The organization EkoGard and its activists are using digital tools to map illegal waste dumpsites across Montenegro to pressure the government for better infrastructure.

While Montenegro works toward joining the European Union by 2028, the country struggles with a recycling rate of less than 2 percent. This figure falls significantly short of the 50 percent target required by the European Union.

Although authorities closed more than 100 illegal landfills in the past year, hundreds of others remain active because residents lack nearby legal disposal points. Senad Pepić, the founder of EkoGard, established the EkoMapa tool to move beyond simple cleanup actions. The project began after a community cleared a dumpsite only for it to reappear three years later because the government failed to provide a waste container.

EkoMapa now collects and analyzes data to show exactly where waste collection services are missing and how these gaps create environmental risks in specific settlements. The organization uses this data to advocate for better planning with local institutions and to organize public campaigns. Activists are also preparing a campaign to create a National Eco Line, which would serve as a nationwide channel for reporting environmental problems.

Pepić says the goal is to move from identifying problems on a map to understanding the underlying causes and securing long-term solutions from the government.