Implementing organization: Eco Infinity
Location: Sjenica, Serbia
Donor: European Fund for the Balkans (EFB)
Funding programme: The Response Hub: Social Urgency Grants
Focus areas: Environmental protection, public awareness, civic engagement and environmental advocacy
About the Project
The fire at the Govedjak landfill in Sjenica highlighted the importance of rapid responses to local environmental emergencies and the need to raise public awareness of the consequences of uncontrolled waste burning.
Through the project “Emergency Response to the Govedjak Landfill Fire – Addressing Uncontrolled Waste Burning in Sjenica,” Eco Infinity undertook a rapid-response initiative aimed at documenting the situation, informing the public and drawing attention to the importance of responsible waste management and environmental protection.
The initiative connected an urgent local environmental concern with broader issues of public accountability, access to information and the role of civil society in addressing challenges that affect the well-being of local communities.
The project was supported by the European Fund for the Balkans through The Response Hub: Social Urgency Grants, a programme designed to support rapid interventions in response to sudden social, political and environmental developments.
Project Activities
Field Documentation and Environmental Observations
The project focused on documenting the situation around the Govedjak landfill and collecting visual materials to help communicate the environmental concerns associated with the incident.
Field documentation and environmental observation formed part of the project’s approach to gathering information about local conditions. The project budget included equipment for environmental documentation and a portable PM2.5/smoke monitoring device to support field observations.
Public Awareness and Digital Communication
Eco Infinity used its digital communication channels to raise awareness of the landfill fire, communicate concerns related to uncontrolled waste burning and encourage public attention to environmental responsibility.
According to the project team’s reported figures, the communication activities reached approximately 13,000 people online, extending awareness beyond the immediate community surrounding the landfill.
Environmental Advocacy and Civic Engagement
The project highlighted the importance of responsible waste management, transparent public information and appropriate institutional responses to environmental concerns.
By bringing attention to the Govedjak incident, Eco Infinity sought to encourage a broader discussion about local environmental challenges and the need for sustainable solutions to waste-management problems.
Why This Project Matters
Environmental challenges in smaller communities often require additional efforts to ensure that they receive sustained public attention. Timely communication, field documentation and civic engagement can help make these issues more visible and encourage greater accountability.
For Eco Infinity, the initiative represents part of its ongoing commitment to environmental protection, youth participation and community development in Sjenica and the wider Pešter region.
The project also demonstrates how local civil-society organizations can respond to urgent environmental developments by combining local knowledge, public communication and civic advocacy.
Results and Impact
The project contributed to increasing the visibility of the Govedjak landfill fire as a local environmental concern. The reported online reach of approximately 13,000 people demonstrates the scale of public outreach achieved through the project’s communication activities.
The initiative also strengthened Eco Infinity’s experience in rapid-response environmental communication, field documentation and civic advocacy. By connecting the immediate incident with broader questions of environmental responsibility and waste management, the project helped reinforce the importance of continued public attention to local environmental issues.
The project’s wider significance lies in supporting informed public engagement and highlighting the need for systematic, responsible and sustainable approaches to waste management.
Project Support
The project was implemented by Eco Infinity with support from the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) through The Response Hub: Social Urgency Grants.
The programme supports rapid interventions responding to urgent social, political and environmental developments, enabling civil-society actors to address emerging challenges and respond to issues of public importance.
Eco Infinity is grateful to the European Fund for the Balkans for supporting this initiative and enabling local action on an urgent environmental concern in Sjenica.
Together for environmental responsibility, informed communities and sustainable local solutions.
