BELGRADE: As scorching summer temperatures grip the Balkans, neglected and illegal dumpsites are erupting into flames, triggering wildfires and choking towns with hazardous smoke. The Golo Brdo landfill in southeast Serbia burned for days after igniting in early July, forcing nearby residents to shelter indoors from the toxic fumes.
Local resident Haris Ibrahimovic described the dire situation in Lukare, where children were confined indoors due to health concerns. “No one cares whether we’re exposed or not,“ he said, criticizing authorities for inadequate monitoring. The Golo Brdo site, operational since 1999, has repeatedly caught fire, burning for weeks each time due to unregulated waste disposal.
Aleksandar Jovovic, a mechanical engineering professor in Belgrade, explained that improperly stored organic waste generates methane, which ignites under extreme heat. “Fixing this requires overhauling the entire waste management system,“ he said. Serbia’s environment ministry reports that fewer than half of its citizens have access to properly managed landfills, with most waste ending up in unsanitary or illegal sites.
The problem spans the region, with Balkan households ranking lowest globally in waste separation. Kosovo recycles less than 20% of its trash, while Montenegro, Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Serbia follow with rates below 40%. Ibrahimovic warned that the environmental damage extends beyond immediate areas, with toxic runoff contaminating rivers and fumes spreading for miles.
Former WHO official Elizabet Paunovic highlighted the severe health risks, noting that burning plastics releases highly toxic compounds linked to congenital disabilities and cancer. Despite foreign-backed initiatives to improve waste management, progress remains slow. Albania’s failed incinerator project, mired in corruption, left landfills burning unchecked.
Ibrahimovic, preparing legal action after years of protests, dismissed empty promises. “It can only be closed on paper, not through agreements,“ he said. - AFP
