Underground waste bins in Zagreb’s main square spark debate
- by croatiaweek
- in News
Work has begun on the installation of the waste containers (Photo: Private album)
ZAGREB, 27 July 2026 – Work has begun on installing semi-underground waste bins in Ban Jelačić Square, Zagreb’s main square, in a project that has sparked mixed reactions from residents and heritage experts.
Construction is currently taking place at the entrance to Ilica, where five underground containers are being installed for mixed household waste, paper, plastic and bio waste.
The area has been fenced off while workers remove the existing stone paving and install the underground structures. Above ground collection columns will be added in the next phase.
The project forms part of the City of Zagreb’s wider expansion of its underground waste collection network in the city centre.
While supporters say the new system will modernise waste management and improve the appearance of public spaces, critics argue that one of Zagreb’s most recognisable public squares is not an appropriate location for municipal infrastructure.
Questions have also been raised over approvals for the project because Ban Jelačić Square forms part of Zagreb’s protected historic core.
(Photo: Private album)
The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets has said it should be confirmed whether the City obtained approval from the heritage protection authorities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture said that interventions in protected cultural and historic areas should be regulated by updated municipal decisions on communal order, adding that Zagreb has not yet adopted a new decision incorporating all of the ministry’s recommendations.
The City of Zagreb, however, insists that it has obtained all required permits and approvals.
City spokesperson Dinka Živalj said the location was selected after a multidisciplinary team examined every possible site in the area. According to the City, underground utility networks, overhead tram infrastructure and accessibility requirements for nearby residents made the chosen location the only suitable option.
Živalj added that the site met all conservation requirements, received approvals from relevant city departments and obtained the necessary state consent.
She also stressed that the underground containers will be intended exclusively for local residents and were positioned to comply with the city’s requirement that waste collection points should be within 200 metres of users.
(Photo: Private album)
Responding to criticism, Živalj noted that similar underground waste systems are already common in European cities, pointing to Ljubljana’s Prešeren Square as an example.
She added that Zagreb already operates underground waste bins at Zrinjevac, Kaptol and Marulić Square, where they function without issue.
According to the City, semi-underground waste containers offer several advantages, including greater storage capacity, a tidier public space, reduced odours, fewer pest problems and easier collection compared with waste bags.
The latest installation is part of a broader programme launched by the City. Last year, Zagreb announced that it had installed 161 underground waste containers across 42 locations in the city centre over a two year period.
