Our sister company, DEKONTA BH d.o.o., has been operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2019 and has quickly become a respected partner in the field of environmental protection. In an interview with its Managing Director, Maja Čolović Daul, we talked about successful projects that help develop the country’s infrastructure, the challenges the region faces, and the company’s plans for 2026.
Could you briefly introduce your company and team for our readers?
DEKONTA BH d.o.o. (DEKONTA BH), was established in 2019, based in Sarajevo. AN achieving excellence and employing innovative approaches and technologies for sustainable environmental protection are at the heart of our mission. We prioritize providing the best working conditions and treating our employees with dignity and respect, a commitment recognized by our three consecutive wins of the SDG Business Pioneers Award in the People category from 2021 to 2023.
Mgr. Maja Čolović Daul
managing director
Dekonta BH d.o.o.
DEKONTA BH boasts a permanent and continually expanding team of experts. In collaboration with local and international partners, and with the support of our parent company in the Czech Republic, we have successfully completed over thirty environmental projects since our founding. These include main and preliminary designs, site investigations, feasibility studies, pilot tests, research and development, development of strategic documentation, planes, as well as environmental and waste management consultancy projects.
Our Clients include United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂĽr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GiZ), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Environmental Fund of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, World Bank (WB), Governmental institutions, Private Sectors companies, Public sector companies, etc. Core business include Contaminated site investigation & remediation, Waste management, Environmental emergency response, Environmental consulting, Environmental research & development, Wastewater treatment and sludge management, Air emission & odour treatment, Industrial cleaning, etc.
What were the most important projects you worked on in 2025?
In 2025 we delivered two flagship assignments that showcase our ability to pair transaction structuring with national-scale environmental systems. As Technical, Environmental & Social Consultant for the Butile WWTP PPP (Sarajevo) the first PPP planned for a public utility under the new PPP law we prepared the full bankability package: due diligence and risk allocation, PPP option analysis and financial modelling, ESG safeguards (incl. sludge-management solution), stakeholder engagement, and draft tender/contract documentation to set a repeatable template for future municipal PPPs. In parallel, we led the Bosnia and Herzegovina Environmental Hotspots Mapping project, building a country-wide database and GIS-enabled inventory that applies standardized scoring to identify and prioritize contaminated sites, links sites to targeted remediation options and an investment pipeline, and includes governance protocols, dashboards, and training so national and local institutions can manage, update, and use the data for permitting and land-use decisions aligned with EU standards.
Which project are you most proud of and why?
Efficient Waste Management System in Sarajevo Canton (Oct 2021–Dec 2023) financed by the Czech Government and delivered by Dekonta with People in Need BiH and KJKP RAD is the project we’re most proud of. Our team provided technical consulting to upgrade the GIS/tracking system, develop RAD’s business strategic plan, improve legal–economic–technical workflows, and plan source-separated collection, sorting, and placement of recyclables. Alongside equipment procurement, hands-on technical assistance, capacity building and a citizen awareness campaign, the project helped reduce disposal volumes and increase separately collected waste across the Canton. What makes this work stand out is the orchestration of a complex stakeholder ekosystém aligning the public utility’s departments, multiple municipalities, cantonal/federal ministries, producer responsibility organisations, the private sector and the public. We charted a clear, efficient planning path, introduced a practical roadmap of improvements and changes, and defined obligations for each system actor, laying a strong foundation for sustained, system-wide progress.What are the biggest environmental challenges in your country right now?
What are the biggest environmental challenges in your country right now?
Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to grapple with core environmental issues: municipal waste is still largely landfilled, separate collection is limited and illegal dumping persists; many towns lack fully compliant wastewater treatment and safe, long-term sludge management routes; hazardous waste relies on export due to the absence of national treatment capacity; and legacy industrial hotspots continue to pressure rivers, soils and communities. Closing the gaps will require stronger EPR enforcement and source separation, rehabilitation and regionalisation of landfills, WWTP upgrades coupled with sustainable sludge solutions, creation of hazardous-waste pretreatment and secure storage, and a GIS-based inventory to prioritise remediation and investments aligned with EU standards.
Do you have any exciting news from your company (new contracts, partnerships, awards, or expansions)?
Dekonta BH has been winner for three years in a row 2021, 2022 and 2023 of the prestigious SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Business Pioneers Award for leaders of sustainable development in the "People" category.
What are your main goals or priorities for 2026?
In our previous work, Dekonta has delivered solutions in waste management, contaminated-soil remediation, and sludge treatment and handling. In 2026, we plan to further develop this business line, expand our client base, and offer comprehensive end-to-end solutions for the final management of WWTP sludge from dewatering and drying to recovery or compliant use as recultivation material at degraded areas.
