Goran Trivan, Serbian Minister of Environment Protection, sits for an interview at the China International Fair for Investment & Trade in Xiamen on Sept 8. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Wastewater management is the top priority when it comes to investment in environmental protection, said Goran Trivan, the Minister of Environmental Protection in Serbia, during an interview at the ongoing China International Fair for Investment & Trade in Xiamen on Sept 8.

To achieve this goal, Serbia plans to construct a series of wastewater treatment plants.

The minister said the European country is ready for the construction of 13 wastewater treatment plants, with another 32 finalizing their documentation procedures. The first phases of these projects worth over 800 billion euros in total.

The minister also stressed the strong investment potential in hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment in the country.

In order to deal with the 10 million tons of municipal and non-hazardous waste that Serbia produces every year, the country has established 27 regional centers which can convert the waste into usable raw materials, said the minister.

He also mentioned that Serbia is in need of at least 50 million euros ($55.14 million) to effectively handle the 100,000 tons of hazardous waste it produces every year.