The Cadastre of Mining Waste in Serbia was established with significant EU funding to provide comprehensive data on hazardous waste sites. It was initially presented as a major step forward in environmental management. According to the available information, the database currently contains limited details and does not cover active mining sites.
A BIRN investigation found discrepancies between information available through the cadastre and data accessible on a ministry server. The ministry’s publicly accessible server reportedly contains more comprehensive information than the cadastre.
State Audit Institution findings on mining waste management
The State Audit Institution criticized the effectiveness of Serbia’s mining waste management. The audit pointed to a lack of a unified database for mining waste. It also noted that mining waste disposal continues without valid permits.
These findings relate to how mining waste is tracked and regulated, including whether operators have approvals for disposal activities.
Calls for improved transparency and permit processing
Experts have called for improvements to the Cadastre of Mining Waste. They emphasized the need for transparent, detailed information on all mining waste sites, including active dumps.
At the same time, the ministry has been criticized for slow responses to permit requests. The criticism includes cases where operators may manage potentially hazardous waste without the required approvals.
The issues highlighted by the cadastre gaps, permit delays, and ongoing disposal without valid permits raise concerns about environmental and public health risks tied to inadequate monitoring and regulation of mining waste in Serbia.