Is the Gorenjska region in Slovenia truly zero waste?

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Is the Gorenjska region in Slovenia truly zero waste?

Call it coincidence or not, Gorenjska has 10 out of Slovenia’s 19 zero waste municipalities. Some were early pioneers of the movement in Europe, others joined only a few years ago. But they all share the same ambition: less waste, healthier environments, and cleaner communities. And as Slovenia’s cases show, the zero waste approach delivers far more than environmental benefits, it creates social and economic value too.

About Gorenjska region

Gorenjska, Slovenia’s sixth largest statistical region at 2,137 km², covering 10.5% of the country’s surface area, encompasses 18 municipalities and is best known for its Alpine landscape. In 2024, it was home to 11% of Slovenia’s population, with a density of 98 people per km², slightly below the national average of 105 per km².

Its extraordinary natural beauty speaks for itself: in 2024, Gorenjska welcomed around 1,581,000 tourists – a remarkable 24% of all tourist arrivals in Slovenia. Nearly 1,350,000 of those were foreign visitors, generating over 3,207,000 overnight stays, making the region the single biggest draw for international travellers in the entire country.

It’s easy to see why. From the Julian Alps’ 2,000m peaks along the Italian border, to the Karavanke and Kamnik-Savinja Alps connecting to Austria, to the vivid turquoise waters of rivers like the Soča – nature here is nothing short of spectacular, and its conservation is a top priority. The Alpine foothills offer endless cultural and natural discoveries, while the region’s three converging mountain ranges and sub-alpine plateaus are laced with well-marked hiking, climbing, and scenic trails.

Pioneers of the movement

Bled, Gorje, and Radovljica launched their zero waste journey in the Gorenjska region as early as 2015 and 2016. The network has since grown to 10 municipalities, including Škofja Loka, Železniki, Kranj, Šenčur, Preddvor, Jezersko and Gorenja-vas Poljane. Others you can find here: https://ebm.si/zw/obcine/

Note: After 2021, new municipalities joining follow the new Zero Waste Cities certification process. In Slovenia we currently have 5 certified Zero Waste cities: Bled, Gorje, Vrhnika, Borovnica, and Log-Dragomer. There are 3 candidate cities: Zreče, Laško, and Gorenja vas – Poljane, and 3 municipalities in the process of joining: Ormož, Središče ob Dravi, and Sveti Tomaž. Municipalities that adopted Zero Waste strategies before 2021 continue to implement them, but are not pursuing the official international certification.

International certification – a European first

Bled and Gorje were the first municipalities in Slovenia, and among the first in Europe, to receive the international Zero Waste Cities Certification by the Mission Zero Academy. In November 2025, they successfully renewed their certification, retaining their 2/5-star scores, assessed by external experts from Croatia, Germany, and Estonia.

Concrete results so far

Residents of Bled generate 10% less waste than the Slovenian average; Gorje around 45% less
Bled achieves 66% separately collected waste; Gorje reaches 73% while the Slovenian average is 74%
Concrete numbers you can find here: Municipality data

Bled – managing tourism pressure with smart solutions

Tourism brings real pressure. During peak season, around 30,000 day visitors and 10,000 overnight guests contribute up to 30% of all waste in Bled alone, roughly 10m³ per day around the lake. Many measures are already in place, and more are on the way:

Green guards patrol the lakeshore during peak season, advising tourists on waste sorting and water bottle refill points – turning everyday encounters into sustainability moments
Reuse cup system at public events is expected to launch this year, replacing single-use options across the municipality
Reuse Festival, hosted last summer as part of the STICT project tackling textile waste, was a celebrated success with locals and visitors alike
Mobile textile collection launched this April alongside a communication campaign – both received a very warm response from the community

📖 Read more about the campaign “The Truth About Textile Is Scary”

The zero waste spirit in Bled extends beyond the municipality itself, in the nearby settlement of Ribno, visitors can stay at Ribno Alpine Resort, Slovenia’s first certified zero waste hotel, proving that sustainable hospitality is not just possible, but a genuine competitive advantage.

📖Read more about their successes: Ribno Alpine Resort at the Forefront of Zero-Waste Tourism in Bled

Kranj – strategy, reuse culture and leading separate collection

In 2021, Kranj formally adopted a shared zero waste strategy together with Jezersko, Naklo, Preddvor, and Šenčur. Beyond policy, Kranj actively promotes reuse and repair culture through collaboration with the Vincenc Draskler Foundation, which organises hands-on activities to extend the life of products and reduce waste at the community level.

The numbers back it up: in 2024, Kranj achieved an impressive 81% separate waste collection rate.

Its neighbouring municipality Jezersko goes even further – reaching up to 97% separate collection, one of the highest rates in Slovenia. The secret is a simple but effective system: all ~700 residents bring their waste directly to a central collection point, eliminating doorstep collection and encouraging conscious sorting. As a popular hiking destination, Jezersko is also working on targeted communication to inspire responsible behaviour among the many visitors who pass through, because good habits shouldn’t stop at the trailhead.

Škofja Loka – smart solutions for events

Škofja Loka stands out with its own washable cup rental service for public events, a practical, reusable alternative to single-use plastic that makes sustainability visible and accessible for both locals and visitors.

A journey worth taking

Perhaps no one captures the spirit of the movement better than Peter Torkar, Mayor of Gorje, one of the first two certified zero waste municipalities in Europe, alongside Bled:

“This is a journey, and if you have no goal, there is no point in setting off. On this journey, we have accomplished a great deal.”

Foto taken by Boštjan Selinšek

The results speak for themselves. From pioneering international certification to measurable waste reduction, Gorenjska’s municipalities are proving that local commitment, one sorted bin, one repaired jacket, one reusable cup at a time, can drive real, lasting change.