Over 1.5 million tons of industrial waste endanger citizens and the environment

Over 2.5 million tonnes of industrial waste have been generated during 2018 in Kosovo, a portion of which because of poor treatment pose a threat to the health and lives of citizens. Out of this amount, only 945 thousand and 318 tonnes have left Kosovo, while another 1.5 million have been deposited within the country. Statistics Agency data published on Thursday shows that 40 thousand 585 tons have been recycled during 2018, while a tone has been burned.

The largest amount of waste has been generated in the power supply sector, gas, steam and air conditioning, water supply, channeling and waste management and land revulsion activities. The second sector that has generated more waste was xehetaria and quarries of 448 thousand and 754 tons, writes Koha Ditore today.

Although reports do not mention the exact amount of waste, they continue to pose a threat to the lives of citizens. According to a report published by the Agency for Environmental Protection, dangerous waste is found in all regions of Kosovo and that institutions have failed to make a solution for it.

According to the AMPC, there is still no warehouse or exclusive facility in Kosovo that would deal with or preserve dangerous waste according to EU standards. Kosovo has even lost the European Union's 12m-euro fund for creating a depot where dangerous waste would be preserved. It was a failure to find a location for its construction. Meanwhile, its failure continues to endanger the lives of citizens.

Dangerous wastes, according to AMMK, are found in various shapes and imbalances, which, according to the information we possess, are organic, color, various drugs, infectious substances, metal, chemical solvents (in acid or alkaline) but other unknown substances.