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Central European waste management disputes

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2026-08-08 15:21 UTC → 2026-08-08 17:34 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The waste‑management crisis that followed the May 2026 emergencies in Croatia continues to shape policy across the region. In Pula, overflowing containers block streets, while a water‑quality failure in Karlovac and reports of roughly one million tonnes of hazardous waste dumped in Lika highlight ongoing illegal disposal problems. In the Lika region, the situation has escalated following investigations in Gospić. Authorities have identified approximately 37,000 tons of mixed waste, including medical and electronic refuse. Soil and groundwater analyses by the Faculty of Geotechnics have detected high concentrations of heavy metals—such as lead, copper, and antimony—as well as PFAS "forever chemicals." Further allegations have surfaced regarding a second illegal waste site on state-owned land in Udbina. This has triggered political tension, with Most party leaders accusing the government of criminal links and criticizing the slow pace of remediation, while local officials warn of potential protests in Zagreb. Bosnia‑Herzegovina has lodged formal complaints against Croatia’s plan to store low‑ and intermediate‑level radioactive waste on Trgovska Gora, prompting a Geneva hearing and civil-society protests led by activists such as Mario Crnković. In Slovenia, the Ljubljana municipal council debates a €430 million waste‑to‑energy incinerator. Czech towns are weighing post‑2030 waste‑disposal options, and Prague has approved a major ZEPO modernization. Balkan sites continue to draw health alerts, including a former swimming‑complex dump in Mostar and the Red Mud pond in Montenegro. Parallel health monitoring shows low microplastic levels in Croatian drinking water and continued warnings about bacterial contamination in reusable containers.

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