Žabalj Residents Protest Proposed Rubber Recycling Plant

Residents of Žabalj, Serbia, staged a protest demanding the relocation or cancellation of a planned rubber‑recycling facility that would process up to 72 tonnes of waste daily. The plant is slated for an industrial zone only 800 metres from the first houses and close to a local water source that supplies the town.

Locals, including Miloš, highlighted environmental fears, saying the site sits near a water reservoir and the Jegrička stream, and warned that waste water could contaminate the area. Miloš noted that over 500 objections have been submitted to the environmental impact study, yet no response has been received, with the deadline set for the end of August.

Protesters called for concrete answers from authorities and urged that the facility be moved or halted to protect public health and the surrounding ecosystem.