Circular Economy and Packaging Glass: Practices and Challenges in the Republic of North Macedonia

Mateski, Aleksandar and Ivanovski, Filip and Dame, Dimitrovski (2026) Circular Economy and Packaging Glass: Practices and Challenges in the Republic of North Macedonia. XXV. IBANESS Congress Series on Economics, Business and Management – Plovdiv / Bulgaria. pp. 671-678.

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Abstract

Abstract: According to projections from the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of the Republic of North
Macedonia, 116,028.70 tons of packaging waste were released onto the market in 2025. It is assumed that almost one sixth
of that amount is glass. The main focus of the paper is on the management of glass packaging within the context of the circular economy in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Through an analysis of existing collection, sorting and recycling practices, the main challenges and opportunities for improving the efficiency of packaging glass waste management systems will be identified. The issue is becoming particularly relevant because it has not been seriously addressed by scientific research so far, national targets for glass packaging waste collection are increasing, and costs for producers and importers are rising each year. Along with aluminum, glass is the fraction whose management requires the most resources. The authors will study the current setup of the system for collecting this fraction of packaging waste through the method of analysis. The paper will provide a clear picture of the channels for collecting packaging glass in the Republic of North Macedonia, of which the HoReCa facilities and the infrastructure located in public areas have a dominant place. The authors will also identify the main shortcomings in the current system and point out the main problems to which all efforts should be directed in the future. According to comparative experiences from European Union countries, the authors will also propose appropriate activities aimed at improving the functioning of the system, with the objective of stablishing sustainable strategies that will contribute to the circularity of glass packaging and the achievement of legally defined national targets.
Keywords: waste management, packaging glass, recycling, HoReCa.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Social Sciences > Economics and Business Scientific Fields (Frascati) > Social Sciences > Law
Divisions:	UKLO Network
Depositing User:	Mr Dimitar Risteski
Date Deposited:	03 Apr 2026 08:55
Last Modified:	03 Apr 2026 08:55
URI:	https://eprints.uklo.edu.mk/id/eprint/11494

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