Associate Professor Natalija Špeh, co-authored with Associate Professor Dr. Anica Čuka (University of Zadar), published an original scientific article in the Croatian Geographical Bulletin entitled “Evaluation of landfill sites on Pašman Island and islanders’ perceptions regarding waste management issues”.
Islands and coastal regions are faced with the burden of sea borne waste and this issue also affects the Croatian islands, including Pašman Island.
In 2018, 32 sites were identified, 10 on the coast and 22 inland, with a particular focus on the composition of the waste. The results showed that plastic waste is more common in coastal areas (55%) than on land (20.9%). Although the local government reported in February 2021 that there are no landfills on the island, the islanders (2022) disputed this claim and confirmed the presence of solid waste landfills. The qualitative research showed that waste management has improved recently. The data collected during the fieldwork provided the basis for proposing future waste management measures in isolated, populated coastal areas.
