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2 clusters · 28 sources · 5 days · First seen · Last updated

Waste management and contamination crises in Croatia

Overview

Environmental crises involving hazardous waste management have emerged in Croatia. In Gospić, the illegal dumping of approximately 37,000 tons of waste containing ecotoxic materials and PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ has prompted the Croatian government to propose introducing ecocide as a criminal offense. Remediation efforts are underway through the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency.

In Zagreb, political warnings have been issued regarding approximately 33,000 tons of hazardous industrial waste located in three lakes at Savica. This site is situated close to the Petruševec water pumping station, which serves roughly 150,000 residents. Reports indicate soil contamination and elevated metal levels in groundwater, with concerns raised regarding the lack of recent environmental monitoring and remediation programs.

Local political leaders, specifically the Zagreb HDZ, have characterized the situation at the Savica lakes as an ‘eco-bomb’. Party leader Ivan Matijević noted that chemical analyses dating back to 2006 have confirmed the presence of hazardous industrial waste. Investigations have documented increased concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in control boreholes and elevated metal levels in groundwater. The HDZ has accused Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and the Možemo! party of inaction, alleging they have been aware of the issue since 2021 but have failed to implement a remediation program or report the site to the Environmental Protection Fund as a priority. Additionally, the Jakuševec landfill has been identified as a potential source of groundwater contamination for the Petruševec station.

Entities

Gospić · Savica · Tomislav Tomašević · Azra Vuković · Green Home

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 14 days ago

    [POLITICS] 14 sources
    Zagreb HDZ warns of 'eco-bomb' near city water supply

    Zagreb HDZ warns of an 'eco-bomb' in Savica, where 33,000 tons of hazardous waste sit near a water station supplying 150,000 residents, accusing Mayor Tomašević of five years of inaction.

  2. 19 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 19 sources
    Croatia and Montenegro face environmental crises over waste management

    Croatia faces a major crisis over illegal waste dumping in Gospić, prompting plans to criminalize ecocide. Meanwhile, Montenegro's Green Home criticizes ineffective plastic waste regulations.

Sources

192.com · 24sata.hr · caru.org.uy · emedjimurje.net.hr · etv.me · fenix-magazin.de · glas-slavonije.hr · index.hr · lika-express.hr · likaclub.net.hr · n1info.hr · n1info.rs · narod.hr · novilist.hr · ogportal.com · poslovni.hr · prigorski.hr · radio-banovina.hr · radiotitograd.me · rtnk.me · telegram.hr · teleskop.hr · tvjadran.hr · tvpljevlja.me · vecernji.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr · visithoustontexas.com · zagreb.info

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history