Trash islands bring Balkan waste crisis to the surface

Framed by rolling hills and farmhouses, the emerald waters of Potpecko lake were once a picturesque fishing spot in western Serbia.

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Picture taken on January 8, 2021, shows trash accumulated at the Potpecko hydro-power dams, part of the Lim river near the city of Priboj. - The Western Balkans are home to some of Europe's wildest rivers and most pristine tracts of nature. But failing waste management systems across the region are threatening the environment and public health. Heavy rains in January highlighted the problem after floods swept garbage from roadsides and other illegal dumps into rivers. (Photo by Vladimir Zivojinovic / AFP)

Rae Munavvar

2021-01-22 09:35:06

Framed by rolling hills and farmhouses, the emerald waters of Potpecko lake were once a picturesque fishing spot in western Serbia.

But recently, the smell itself was enough to turn away visitors from a reservoir filled with a sprawling mass of trash -- one of several enormous build-ups in the region that have brought the Balkans' garbage crisis into plain view.

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