Illegal waste cleanup fears in Croatia: As Croatia prepares to remove tens of thousands of tonnes of hazardous waste from the former PPK Velebit complex near Gospić, locals say years of illegal dumping may have left lasting harm and complain that no waste has been removed so far. Water quality push in Europe: A new study finds Europe’s rivers are improving, but only Slovenia is getting cleaner fast enough to meet 2030 water targets—while other countries lag or even worsen. Climate pressure on hops: Heat and drought are cutting European hop yields and alpha-acid levels, with projections pointing to further declines by 2050 unless irrigation and resilient varieties expand. Hydrogen network cooperation in Slovenia: ELES, Plinovodi and Yokogawa signed an MoU to develop a low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem, focusing on integrating electricity, gas and hydrogen infrastructure and exploring a connected hydrogen plant. Circular aquaculture in Ljubljana: At Aquaculture Europe 2026, researchers and businesses discussed turning aquaculture by-products into building materials and other inputs, including mussel-shell and sediment reuse projects. Packaging sustainability in Slovenia: Bayer launched a mono-material polypropylene blister for Talcid in Germany, expanding a recyclable design first tested in Slovenia. Energy policy enforcement: The European Commission took action on infringement cases, including referring Bulgaria to the EU court over electricity market rules.