The final study visit for Chemistry Department in 2020 for “Env-net” project was a visit to the multiple companies related to the secondary materials collection chain. This time the visit was carried out with students of the 4th year at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, professors from the High School of Technology Banja Luka and other high school guests. Similar to the previous visit, the goal was to raise awareness of the ongoing developments in the recycling systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most of the public is not aware of the fact that numerous successful companies are engaging in the collection of most material categories: metals, polymers, paper, and glass.
This time the visit included three locations.
Prizma comerc is a private company with over 35 years of tradition in different metal collection and export of these materials on a larger scale along with their partner. The company does not hesitate to buy off small quantities of scrap metal from citizens at their registered counter, as well as collect tons of metal scrap from larger mechanical engineering companies. Young owners are the third generation leadership in this company and while pursuing higher education themselves they set an example for the community and for their employees by evolving in hard every day work as well. However, they are following the scientific developments and look forward to the challenge of green recycling methods in electronic waste as one of their ambitions. 
Euro Beta is the first and currently the only recycling operator working in Banja Luka city. They organize the collection and storage of recyclable materials and promote the recycling culture among young populations. Also, they are in charge of setting the recycling containers around the city. The company staff introduced the visitors to the current legislation and how they can apply for setting up of the recycle “islands” in their local communities by this company.
Grand promet is a busy paper collecting company employing over 30 people at this moment. They also offer the opportunity to small collectors and citizens to sell the collected paper at their counter, while also collecting large quantities of the packing cartons and paper from the shopping centers and factories. Excellently, the paper they collect mostly is processed in the “Natron-Hayat” factory in Maglaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is a large paper production plant with over 65 years of tradition, currently run by Turkish investors and having excellent environmental standards. Depending on the international market prices, the collected paper is sometimes exported but most importantly, it always finds its way from this company to the recycling factories.
This visit, similarly to the previous ones carried out thanks to the “Env-net” project, was all about raising awareness. The visitors, especially teachers from the high school and also students who are soon to become teachers, will be able to encourage their communities and pupils to collect the secondary raw materials and explain to them exactly where they go. Suspicion of the citizens about the real destiny of the raw materials separated in the colorful containers at the recycling “islands” is the main problem slowing effective recycling. By spreading the word this way, little by little from mouth to mouth, sharing the experiences gained at the real companies making efforts to collect and live from recycling, the citizens will start to trust the chain and contribute to the increase in recycling, making the environment cleaner. Finally, the goal of having Bosnia and Herzegovina without landfills is maybe not that far.
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