Kumanovo diverts waste to Skopje amid Krasta landfill crisis

Kumanovo authorities have announced that municipal waste will be temporarily transported to the Drisla landfill in Skopje. This emergency measure follows a prolonged crisis at the Krasta landfill, which has been subject to ongoing fires and continuous smoke.

Residents of Pčinja and surrounding villages have maintained blockades to protest the environmental impact and demand a complete sanitation of the Krasta site. In response, the Kumanovo Municipal Headquarters for Protection and Rescue held a meeting with various institutions, including police, health centers, and environmental inspectors, to coordinate a deblockade of the landfill access.

New measures to manage the Krasta site include the use of construction machinery to cover waste with soil, the installation of thermal surveillance cameras, and increased security. Additionally, an ‘eco-patrol’ consisting of local community members and NGOs will be formed to conduct weekly monitoring of the landfill's condition.