Waste incineration trends in the Western Balkans: A critical overview of energy and heat generation

Report    |    21 April 2026

Western Balkan governments and utility companies are increasingly pursuing waste-to-energy incineration.

Overall, evidence from the Western Balkans and the EU shows that waste incineration is a dead-end pathway, increasing financial and environmental risks, locking municipalities into high-carbon infrastructure, and undermining both the heating transition and EU-compliant waste management reforms.

Since incineration fails to offer a viable, EU‑aligned pathway for the Western Balkans, a different approach is needed. The following recommendations outline the steps required to advance the decarbonisation of district heating systems, enhance waste management practices and support the development of a truly circular economy.