Illegal waste dumping and management crises in Europe

Illegal waste disposal continues to impact ecosystems and local environments across different regions. In the Berkshire area, the dumping of trash, yard waste, plastics, and toxic materials like batteries has been documented, raising concerns regarding methane emissions and groundwater pollution.

In other areas, such as Masline and the Ježdovec forest near Zagreb, unregulated landfills have emerged. In Masline, sites containing household waste and furniture have been found near sensitive locations like a kindergarten. In the Ježdovec forest, authorities report that approximately 750,000 tons of construction, bulky, and hazardous waste have accumulated over a period of 30 years. Illegal dumping in the Ježdovec forest remains a significant environmental challenge despite previous arrests.

New management crises have emerged in Goražde and Gospić. In Goražde, citizens have blocked access to the Šišeta landfill to demand its permanent closure due to air pollution and frequent fires. Mayor Ernest Imamović stated that the city is struggling to find an alternative site because a court ruling has prohibited the use of the planned Trešnjica location. The city is exploring transporting waste to Sarajevo or Živinice, despite logistical challenges.

In Gospić, Croatian Minister of Environmental Protection Marija Vučković announced that negotiations have begun to remediate approximately 33,000 tons of buried waste at the former PPK Velebit site. Authorities have completed the temporary covering of this waste with a geomembrane to prevent groundwater contamination, and a procurement process is underway to remove 4,500 tons of hazardous waste from the site by the end of the year.