o:10145 Regulatory Changes and Sustainability Implications of the New Waste Management Law in Serbia en Although waste generation has long been associated with human activities and economic development, its effective management remains a persistent environmental challenge, particularly in less developed countries where waste management is often insufficiently developed and infrastructure is limited. Inefficient waste management leads to significant environmental impacts, including soil, water and air contamination, resulting in associated risks to human health. In recent years, Serbia has undertaken significant regulatory reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of its waste management system. The amendments to the Law on Waste Management introduce several important changes related to waste prevention, improved classification of waste streams, clearer responsibilities of waste management actors, and increased alignment with European Union environmental legislation. This paper analyzes the key regulatory changes introduced by the amended waste management legislation in Serbia through a regulatory and policy analysis and discusses their implications for environmental protection and sustainable resource management. Particular attention is given to new definitions, obligations for waste producers, digitalization of waste tracking, and improved regulatory control mechanisms. The results indicate that the new legislative framework strengthens the principles of circular economy and promotes more efficient waste prevention, recycling, and resource recovery. At the same time, the implementation of these changes requires improved institutional capacity and stronger cooperation between regulatory authorities, industry, and local governments. Waste Management; Environmental Legislation; Circular Economy; Recycling; Environmental Policy 1552100 978-86-6022-801-9 2026-08-20T11:34:25.464Z 44 no 46 Marija Perović Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, Belgrade, Serbia 0000-0003-2045-001X Marija Todorović Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, Belgrade, Serbia person Tatjana Mitrović Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia person application/pdf 403355 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:10145 no yes 1 70 92000004 71A04 Proceedings of the 4th International EUROSA Conference, May 13-16, 2026, Hotel Vrnjačke terme, Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia 174 180 Faculty of Technical Sciences, Novi Sad 2026