New Trends of Circular Economy in the City of Velika Gorica

Huge demand for natural resources, as well as large amounts of waste covering large plots of land, or uncontrolled waste dumping in natural habitats, have led to enormous pressure upon the environment. European Union has recognized the need to switch to the circular economy which will ensure protection of the environment, but could also increase the efficiency and the value of products, and the European Commission has devised a framework of legislative which will help member states to reach the desired goals of sustainable industry and circular economy. Very important segment of the circular economy is also the waste management sector, which makes it the most propulsive for the municipalities in the Republic of Croatia. Though it becomes more and more clear that traditional businesses and linear economy, which both lead to the negligence for the environmental issues, leave permanent consequences, the term “circular economy” still remains unrecognized on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, as well as in the City of Velika Gorica. That is the reason why a research on the recognition of that term in one segment of the society in Velika Gorica, among the members of the University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica, is conducted. This paper presents the analysis of the goals set upon the waste management system in the City of Velika Gorica as well as the cross-section trough project simplemented in Velika Gorica in the waste management sector. Results of the research gave some proposals for the improvement of the existing system focusing on the transition to trends of circular economy.