Chapter 6: Slovenia

(continued)



6.4 Project Opportunities

Major Environmental Problems

The major environmental problems in Slovenia noted by survey respondents are listed in Table 6.10. Within each category, the problems are shown in order of importance, as revealed by the survey. The seven most important environmental problems (based on the number of occasions each problem was listed) are as follows:

Other environmental problems listed in Table 6.10 were attributed much less importance by the interviewed experts.

TABLE 6.10: MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN SLOVENIA
Category Problem Description and Expected Duration Geographic Location
Air Air pollution from industrial furnaces and household fireplaces (next 5-10 years) National
Air pollution by industry due to the lack of flue gas cleaning facilities (next 5-10 years) National
Air pollution by traffic (continuing) Major cities
Inadequate flue gas-emission monitoring (continuing) Major cities
Water Pollution of surface and groundwater by municipal and industrial wastewaters (construction of municipal wastewater treatment plants) (next 15-20 years) Nova Gorica, Celje, Krsko, Ljubljana, Maribor, other cities
Protection and remediation of drinking water sources1 affected by agricultural activities (next 10 years) Ljubljana, Maribor, Krsko, Ptuj, and Karst region
Inadequate municipal sewage systems (continuing) National
Pollution of hydroelectric power plant retention lakes (10 years) Drava, Sava, Soca
Polluted lakes and rivers and threatened water ecosystems (continuing) Bled, Bohinj, Drava, Sava, Krka, Sotla
Waste Inadequate waste disposal sites requiring remediation and/or need for new waste disposal sites (next 10 years) National
Accumulation of hazardous waste requiring treatment and removal (continuing) National
Lack of waste incineration facilities (next 5 years) National
Inadequate industrial waste disposal sites (continuing) Sostanj, Mezica, Idrija
Poor level of waste selection and recycling (continuing) National
Disposal of radioactive waste from medical applications (continuing) Ljubljana
Selection of sites for radioactive waste disposal (continuing) National
Contamination in the area of Zirovski Vrh Mine (former uranium mine) (continuing) Zirovski Vrh
Energy Use of low-quality fuels for heating (coal, crude oil) (next 5 years) National
Noise and Vibration2 Noise from industry and traffic (continuing) Celje and Nova Gorica region
Occupational exposure (continuing) Nova Gorica region
1. Environmental problems related to the protection and remediation of drinking water resources are primarily associated with pollution by nitrates and pesticides due to agriculture.
2. Organizations that identified this problem tended to refer only to the problems within their geographic area. However, problems of noise and vibration, as well as those of occupational exposure, are actually important in all urban and industrialized areas of Slovenia.

It is necessary to stress that while using the number of citations as a measure of the importance of a particular problem might not accurately reflect the actual importance of problems, the seven major environmental problems in Slovenia that emerged from the survey are consistent with the priorities set by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning1, namely the protection of ground and surface waters by appropriate treatment of wastewater, and protection of water resources. It also conforms to the Ministry's waste management strategy, which includes remediation of existing disposal sites, minimization and recycling of wastes, and proper hazardous waste management.

Significant Environmental Projects in Progress

The most important environmental problems and priorities in Slovenia are well reflected in the involvement of various organizations in current or planned environmental projects. These are listed in Table 6.11.

TABLE 6.11: CURRENT OR PLANNED ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Organization Projects in Progress or Foreseen
Institut "Jozef Stefan" (Jozef Stefan Institute)
  • Cleaning of flue gases
  • Closing and decommissioning of Slovenia's uranium mine
  • Reuse of solid waste generated in flue gas desulfurization projects
Kemijski Institut (National Institute of Chemistry)
  • Treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater
  • Restructuring of chemical factories
Elektroinstitut "Milan Vidmar"
  • Air quality control in thermal power plants
  • Development of new air-monitoring systems
Limnos d.o.o.
  • Development and establishment of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment
Ministrstvo za Okolje in Prostor (Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning)
  • Improved waste management in Slovenia
Vodnogospodarski Institut
  • Construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Sezana
  • Improvement of municipal sewage collection and treatment systems
Ames d.o.o.
  • Early warning system for radiation in Slovenia
  • Monitoring stations at Iskrba and Krvavec (as part of an international network)
  • Emissions monitoring station at Sostanj power plant
Erico Velenje
  • Remediation of surface waters and lakes in Saleska Valley
  • Composting and reuse of municipal sewage sludge
Univerza Maribor, Fakulteta za Strojnistvo (University of Maribor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
  • Study of the impact of combustion processes on environmental pollution
Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za Strojnistvo, Center za Energetske in Ekoloske Tehnologije (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Energy and Environmental Technologies)
  • Exploitation of solar energy
  • Reduction of noise in household appliances
  • Combustion of biomass
Iskra Avtoelektrika d.d.
  • Treatment of hazardous waste
  • Reconstruction of wastewater treatment plants
Komunalno Stanovanjska Druzba d.o.o.
  • Enlargement and upgrading of the wastewater treatment plant in Ajdovscina
Eko - Teh
  • Supervision of equipment and devices for hazardous waste treatment
Kem - Eko d.o.o.
  • Pre-treatment of waste paint before removal and final treatment (project carried out in a foreign country)
Slovenski Plinovodi
  • Construction of natural gas distribution systems in Zagorje, Lasko, Sentjur, Nova Gorica, and Ajdovscina
PREHOD d.o.o.
  • Production of natural coverings for site remediation and protection against erosion
  • Humization of coconut waste
Zavod za Zdravstveno Varstvo Celje (Institute of Public Health Celje)
  • Sanitation program for wastewater in Celje
Klima Celja d.o.o.
  • Production of dust filters (for export)
  • Ventilation and heating systems
DEPS - Sistemi za Zascito Narave (Systems for Environmental Protection)
  • Development of software packages for wastewater monitoring
  • Directory and mapping of unauthorized waste disposal sites in the Ruse municipality
  • Modeling of water streams at monitoring stations
Raci d.o.o.
  • Construction of a mobile emission monitoring station
  • Adaptation of the emission-monitoring system
Kemis d.o.o.
  • Recycling of organic solvents
Komunala Radovljica
  • Construction of a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Radovljica
  • Construction of a water supply system in Bohinj
  • Remediation and enlargement of a municipal waste disposal site in Radovljica municipality
  • Assistance in the establishment of a waste treatment in the Gorenjska region (preparation of the project)
Tki Pinus Race D.D.
  • Reconstruction/modernization of solid and liquid waste incinerators
  • Reconstruction of biological wastewater treatment plants
Oikos d.o.o.
  • Waste management system in Domzale municipality
  • Remediation and enlargement of municipal waste disposal sites
Bio Diskont d.o.o.
  • Incineration of used tires in a cement factory
PII d.o.o. Idrija
  • Rationalization of heat and electricity use
IBE
  • Remediation of waste disposal sites
  • Remediation of the Moste hydroelectric power plant accumulation basin
  • Implementation of a regional waste management plan
Projekt Mr Inzeniring D.D.
  • Allocation of the waste management center site in the Maribor region
Note: Contact information to the organizations listed in this table are provided in Section 6.8.

Based on the findings in the last two sections, it appears that the areas presenting the most business opportunities in Slovenia are the protection of ground and surface waters (e.g. appropriate treatment of wastewater) and waste management activities, including the remediation of existing disposal sites, minimization and recycling of wastes, and programs improving hazardous waste management. It should also be noted that while the share of air pollution control projects in overall environmental expenditures has been declining, in terms of actual figures the sector is still important.

Also, while the energy-related part of the environmental market is not explored in great depth in this report, in the mid term the sector will account for a large amount of environmental expenditures.

Overall, Slovenia offers a diverse range of opportunities for environmental technology businesses, however, few of those opportunities, it seems, will result in large projects.

Major Sources of Information on Business Opportunities

Generally, very few effective formal channels exist in Slovenia that offer information on environmental business opportunities. The most frequently mentioned source of information for business opportunities named by the interviewed experts was the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia (Uradni list RS) where all environmental and other projects financed fully or in part by governmental agencies and ministries are announced as calls for proposals (with full terms of reference). It is important to note that the great majority of investments in environmental technologies in Slovenia are partly financed by the government and therefore require announcement in the public media. Other significant sources listed by survey respondents included personal contacts, participation in fairs and exhibitions, and information from the media.

For comparison, Table 6.12 presents the breakdown of major information sources, based on the REC's 1997 survey of 121 environmental businesses in Slovenia. According to the survey, personal and professional contacts, the Ministry of Environment, and participation in fairs and trade shows are the primary sources of information on environmental business opportunities. Daily press, direct mail, information from local authorities, and participation in conferences are among other important sources listed. Interestingly, professional associations and chambers of commerce are not seen as major information sources or as effective lobbying groups for the environmental business sector.

TABLE 6.12: MAJOR SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Source of Information Respondents (%)
Personal contacts 96%
Environmental Ministry 70%
Trade shows and fairs 61%
Daily press 61%
Direct mail 57%
Conference attendance 57%
Local authorities/municipalities 54%
Environmental publications 49%
Chamber of Commerce 43%
Professional associations 36%
Business publications 36%
International organizations 31%
Ministry of Economics 29%
Broadcast fax service 26%
University/Academy of Science 24%
E-mail 20%
Commercial banks 7%
Source: REC, The Emerging Environmental Market, 1997

Tables 6.13 and 6.14 present the main environmental and business publications read by environmental professionals in Slovenia. As can be noted from the tables, environmental publications reach a very limited audience, with only two publications reaching more than one in seven environmental professionals. The situation is somewhat better with business publications and the daily press, where Delo and Gospodarski Vestnik reach a substantial proportion of environmental professionals.

TABLE 6.13: MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLICATIONS
Publication Readership (% of Respondents)
Okolje 16%
Gospodarjenje z Odpadki 13%
Environmental Science and Technology 6%
Gea 6%
Umwelt 5%
Source: REC, The Emerging Environmental Market, 1997

TABLE 6.14: MAIN BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS AND NEWSPAPERS
Publication Readership (% of Respondents)
Delo 63%
Gospodarski vestnik 36%
Uradni list RS 19%
Dnevnik 18%
Vecer 10%
Manager 9%
Republika 9%
Podjetnik 8%
Finance 7%
Obrtnik 6%
Source: REC, The Emerging Environmental Market, 1997

Although announcements of environmental projects are also made in daily newspapers, personal contacts frequently tend to be more reliable, and often faster, information sources.

The role of environmental and trade associations in Slovenia is considered to be quite low, as shown in Table 6.15. The limited membership also reflects the fact that, as noted earlier, the associations are not seen as effective representatives or as a useful source of information for business opportunities.

TABLE 6.15: MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Association Respondents (%)
Chamber of commerce and its associations (GZS) 28%
Association for the Protection of Waters 5%
International Association for Hydrogeology 4%
Association of Landscape Architects and Urban Planners 3%
Ecological Association of Slovenia 3%
Source: REC, The Emerging Environmental Market, 1997

On the other hand, several fairs give the opportunity to the buyers of environmental technologies to obtain information on state-of-the-art products. The most important environment-related fairs in Slovenia are listed in Table 6.16.

TABLE 6.16: IMPORTANT FAIRS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCERS AND BUYERS IN SLOVENIA
Name of Fair City Approximate Date Focus
EKO sejem* Celje 1997: March 18-21; (Biannually in March) Waste treatment technologies
Alpe Adria Ljubljana Annually, in April General fair
Energetika Maribor Annually, mid-May Energy
Sejem gradbenistva Gornja Radgona Annually, in May Civil engineering
Sodobna elektronika Ljubljana Annually, first week in October Professional electronics and automatics
Tehnika za okolje* Ljubljana Biannually, in October Environmental technologies - general
Medilab Ljubljana Annually, in October Occupational safety
* EKO sejem in Celje and Tehnika za okolje in Ljubljana are the only fairs in Slovenia dedicated exclusively to the environment and environmental technology. The other fairs listed cover specialized areas of environmental technology.

Sources of Information on Available Environmental Technologies

Among the 37 interviewed experts, 19 had previous experience in buying environmental technologies. The information sources they used when looking to purchase technologies are listed below. The number in brackets represents the number of respondents indicating a particular source.

When the buyers needed information on available environmental technologies, they most frequently relied on previous contacts with suppliers, on information provided in different journals (e.g. Environmental Technology, and International Labmate) or on information obtained at fairs in other countries (e.g. ACHEMA in Frankfurt).

The representatives of technology suppliers are also an important source of information in Slovenia. Due to the already described system of financing of environmental projects, including the purchase of environmental technologies, all organizations seeking financial support from governmental agencies must tender their need for a supplier of a particular equipment or technology in the public media. Information provided by suppliers in response to such announcements sometimes serves as a source of information on the available environmental technologies.

Domestic fairs and various directories are used less frequently as sources of information. Other sources rarely used include the Internet, catalogues, and information provided at specialized conferences.

Important Contact Points for Environmental Project Opportunities

The most significant contact points for environmental project opportunities are listed in Table 6.17.

TABLE 6.17: IMPORTANT CONTACT POINTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES IN SLOVENIA
Organization Name and Address Contact Name and Telephone Number
AIR
Hydrometeorological Institute of Slovenia, Vojkova, cesta 1b, 1000 Ljubljana Roza Cigler, (386-61) 131-5268
Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Dunajska 46, 1000 Ljubljana Janko Zerjav, (386-61) 170-7400
WATER
Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Dunajska 46, 1000 Ljubljana Janko Zerjav, (386-61) 170-7400
Hydrometeorological Institute of Slovenia Vojkova cesta 1b, 1000 Ljubljana Martina Zupan, (386-61) 178-4000
Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food, Parmova ulica 33, 1000 Ljubljana Marta Hrustelj, (386-61) 323-643
Chamber of Commerce, Slovenska cesta 41, 1000 Ljubljana Janja Leban, (386-61) 218-380
WASTE
Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Dunajska 46, 1000 Ljubljana Janko Zerjav, (386-61) 170-7400
Chamber of Commerce, Slovenska cesta 41, 1000 Ljubljana Andreja Jerina, (386-61) 125-0122
ENERGY
Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Dunajska 46, 1000 Ljubljana Janko Zerjav, (386-61) 170-7400
Centre of Civil Engineering, Dimiceva ulica 9, 1000 Ljubljana (386-61) 168-2345
Ekolosko razvojni sklad RS, Trg republike 3, 1000 Ljubljana (386-61) 125-5196
NOISE AND VIBRATION
Ministry of Health, Rozna Dolina, IX/6, 1000 Ljubljana (386-61) 178-6052
Regional Institute of Public Health, Ipavceva 18, 3000 Celje Ivan Erzen, (386-63) 37-112
Regional Institute of Public Health, Kostanjeviska 16 a, 5000 Nova Gorica Marko Vudrag, (386-65) 28-191

The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning should serve as the most important point of contact for environmental project opportunities in Slovenia. However, the information provided to interested organizations often seems to be insufficient, serving large public institutions well but not small businesses. Many small organizations (which were unable to provide contact persons in the questionnaire) clearly therefore rely on information obtained from the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, from the public media, or from other ministries that cover their particular area of interest.

1. "Report on the Status of the Environment in 1995" (Predlog porocila o stanju okolja 1995-EPA 1378), Porocevalec drzavnega zbora RS, No.6/1, 1996.

REC * PUBLICATIONS * ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY MARKET * SLOVENIA

PREVIOUS NEXT COVER PAGE HOME PAGE