Swedish partner: Norrköpings kommun

Norrköping and Bihac – Bosnia Herzegovina

NORBIH – Partnership with focus on the waste management area.

The initiative for the partnership arose in summer 2021 by Bosnian diaspora in Norrköping after discussions with Bosnian cities on connecting to Swedish cities for partnership and exchange of knowledge. The City of Bihac sent a formal request to Norrköping on working together in a partnership.

In order to land on a common ground and find a specific topic to start the partnership, the two local communities prepared a joint application for the Inception Phase for which they decided to initiate discussions and exchanges on the topic of improvements in environmental protection, specifically in waste management.

The application regarding Inception phase was approved in the beginning of 2022 and so far the two communities held several online meetings and organised two exchange visits which were very instrumental for identifying problems both partners would like to address through this project. The inception project has led to a decision to apply for a partnership project with a focus on waste management. As the Municipality of Norrköping is very advanced in integrated waste management and one of the top municipalities in Sweden regarding this area, the City of Bihac got a lot of useful inputs and inspiration for the design of its part of the project.

The city of Bihac has around 56,000 inhabitants and does not have an adequate integrated solid waste management system. Although all citizens have access to the waste collection service, solid waste is disposed of in the unsanitary landfill.

Over the last 10 years the city introduced waste separation at source by erecting several ”eco islands” throughout the city. In one pilot part of the city free bins were distributed to individual households for paper and plastic. Although some citizens embraced the introduction of waste separation the amount of collected separated waste is still negligible and only 1.5% of the total of 20,000 t. The reason for such a low level of waste separation is that waste is not seen as a priority within the organisation. The citizens also have low awareness about waste separation and its impact on the nature.

The municipality of Norrköping adopted a new waste management plan in 2020 with ambitious goals in minimizing the amount of waste. Unfortunately the plan is not fully implemented in the municipal organization and the project will therefore focus on implementation of the waste management plan goals. In Norrköping we will involve at least three different municipal units to be pilot units.

Overall objectives:

1. Contribute to environmental protection through better waste management practice

2. Contribute to higher environmental awareness

3. Contribute to reducing quantity of mixed municipal waste

Project Area
Environment/Climate changeTechnical Services and Infrastructure
Sustainable Development Goals
13 - Climate action
Swedish partner
Norrköpings kommun
International partner
Bihac Municipality

Norrköping and Uasin Gishu, Kenya

Project: Environment protection NORELD 2020

This project builds on the results and methods of a previous project on solid waste management. It focuses on further implementation and completion of activities aimed to increase capacity building for a County-owned waste management company and adress issues of governance and coordination structures.

Norrköping Municipality and Uasin Gishuy County have been collaborating in a partnership since 2015. This project builds on results and methods from their previous project, with the aim to implement additional parts of the project and conduct additional activities.

The immediate objectives of the project is to strengthen institutional capacity in planning, delivery, implementation and management of waste and technical including good governance. The partners will also aim to raise awareness in the need for and the benefits of sustainable solid waste management in public health, environment and economy. Through their activities they wish to enhance waste collection in the selected areas in Eldoret and improving the current situation of the Kipkenyo landfill through acquisition of waste technology

Newsreel from 2016 at the start of the previous project, which is closely related to this project

Project Area
Environment/Climate changeInclusive leadership and governance
Sustainable Development Goals
11 - Sustainable cities and communities13 - Climate action
Swedish partner
Norrköpings kommun
International partner
Uasin Gishu County

Environment protection NORELD 2016

This project proposal is a result of the Inception phase which the parties had in 2015. The municipalities have decided to apply for a continued partnership within the area of solid Waste management.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to a sustainable and cleaner environment by supporting the administration and the inhabitants to be experts in provision of sustainable solid waste management services with adequate infrastructure based on the needs of the communities through a creation of an enabling environment for stakeholder-participation.

This can be achieved by:

  • Strengthening the County’s institutional capacity in planning, delivery, management of waste and technology
  • Raising awareness in the need for and the benefits of sustainable solid waste management in public health, environment and economy.
  • Raising awareness in the need of political will to ensure that tackling solid waste is a high priority
  • Enhancing waste collection in the low-income area of Kipkaren and improving the situation of the dumpsite through acquisition of waste recycling technology

Uasin Gishu County has problems in securing land for a new dumpsite, they have looked into other alternatives and decided to engage a Norrköping based company that are experts in turning waste into electric power.

Project Area
Inclusive leadership and governance
Swedish partner
Norrköpings kommun
International partner
Uasin Gishu County