engleski

Islands — protected oases as a result of quality waste management

Given their geographical position, islands are destined to be “isolated”. Nevertheless, the isolation itself represents great potential for maintaining autonomy in every aspect, including waste management. Small islands are sometimes densely populated on the one hand, with large expanses of untouched nature on the other. Because of this, sustainable development can be very well-organized and waste management is considered one of the key factors which can greatly contribute to that. Still, islands are places where uncontrolled accumulation of waste could occur in a relatively small area. Therefore, the attitude towards waste on islands is very specific, challenging and undisturbed by any kind of external influences. This is primarily due to the specific economic and political situation maintained by local officials whose careful consideration and planning can help the islands stand out as examples to other communities. As a dominant industry, tourism can be a liability and a source of additional concern given that, during the tourist season, it often brings enormous amounts of waste. The latter is related to the pollution of air and sea. The pollution is primarily a result of accumulating solid waste, whose volume, unpleasant odour and the problem of organized removal from the island can significantly burden the settlements. In this regard, local self-protection measures are of immense importance. Islanders have a unique opportunity to set strictly controlled conditions for any kind of waste management within the limits of their geographical position, thus protecting their islands from pollution. In this context, the interdisciplinary approach should also rely on urbanism through quality spatial planning which considers sustainable development and design that would foresee economic zones for waste management. In general, islands are potential oases of unpolluted Earth. Being isolated, they can oppose and reject the usual unsustainable methods and become the prototype of quality waste management.

geographical isolation, island, pollution, tourism, urban planning and design, waste management

nije evidentirano