## 4 E-Waste Management in Serbia--Current Situation
### Obstacles and Potential Solutions in the E-Waste Management System in SERBIA
#### 4.1.4 Potential Solutions to the Problem  
According to the previously exposed problems, the proposed solution primarily involves increasing state support to strengthen the entire e-waste management mechanism. Declarative support alone is insufficient; therefore, financial support for research is also necessary. According to the National Program for the Integration of Serbia into the EU, the process of European integration is based primarily on the transfer and application of EU legislation into the national legislation, the establishment of administrative and institutional capacities with the aim of effective application of European regulations, and the provision of financial and economic instruments [55].  
In this regard, the key factors of the improvement mechanism of the e-waste management system would be the following:  
* Improving and harmonizing legal acts with European ones, which would make e-waste management strictly controlled;
* Harmonizing e-waste recycling goals with European ones and encouraging intensive engagement in their fulfillment;
* Increasing environmental awareness among citizens of Serbia, through constant education and the implementation of a targeted campaign through the media;
* Incorporating the private sector into the e-waste management system, in order to influence the system through the production of electrical and electronic devices, by incorporating recyclable materials, building recycling facilities and financial motivation by the state;
* Supporting research activities in the field of development of innovative e-waste separation technologies;
* Improving the infrastructure for e-waste management through the provision of all necessary facilities for the collection, transport, and recycling of e-waste.  
One of the most effective elements of the previously described mechanism for improving the e-waste management system is the last one: providing the necessary infrastructure for e-waste management. Only concrete action on this element, specifically the automation of the waste separation process using robots, can achieve the set goals of e-waste recycling [56]. Separation of e-waste using robots can primarily be applied in waste recycling plants as a secondary separation line. One of the goals of the Waste Management Program in Serbia is to achieve a 45% e-waste collection rate by 2031 and to establish recycling yards throughout the country, within each municipality, that will be able to accept special waste flows, such as e-waste, while facilities for disassembly and sorting will be established at the regional level. Construction of a secondary separation plant is planned in each regional center [1]. This measure is a good basis for the implementation of automated separation of e-waste using robots.  
Case Study: The Possibility of Using Robots in E-Waste Separation in the \"E-Reciklaza\" Recycling Plant, NiS, Serbia  
E-waste is very demanding and difficult to separate due to its complex construction and the diverse shapes and forms that may occur [57]. Different manufacturing methods characterize televisions and refrigerators, or telephones and microwave ovens, although their composition is similar. It is especially challenging when the devices are bulky and difficult to manipulate, because then it is necessary to apply mechanical force to shred them. This results in chipped parts of irregular shape and sharp edges that are difficult to detect and manipulate. For these reasons, a unique template cannot be applied when separating e-waste, nor can the separation process be fully automated [27; 58]. In this paper, the possibility of separating refrigerators using a robot was investigated in the concrete example of the recycling center \"E-Reciklaza\", which is located in Eastern Serbia, in NiS. Since 2010, \"E-Reciklaza\" has been one of the leading companies in the field of e-waste recycling in Southeast Europe. The company's main activity is collecting, transporting, storing, and treating e-waste [59].