Massive Garbage Collection Overwhelms Part of a Balkan Waterway
The picturesque Drina river, known for its fishing in its northern reaches and spanning 215 miles, is currently covered in trash. A trash blockade near Visegrad, Bosnia, has been erected by a Bosnian hydroelectric plant, the Bajina Bašta Hydroelectric Power Plant, to prevent garbage from clogging up the dam.
Unauthorized waste dumps are common in the area surrounding the Drina river, and the garbage flow into the river is from these riverside landfills. The issue of trash accumulation on the Drina river is ongoing and not a recent occurrence.
The garbage flow into the Drina river is exacerbated by heavy rain, as was the case recently, according to Dejan Furtula, a member of the local environmental group Eko Centar Visegrad. The garbage accumulated at a trash barrier after flowing in from the riverside landfills.
Locals often avoid rafting on the Drina river during the "garbage season." The AP reported that approximately 350,000 cubic feet of garbage are estimated to be clogging up the Drina river.
To remove the trash from the Drina river, it may take about six months and involve transporting it to a nearby landfill. The Drina river's otherwise beautiful setting is spoiled by the accumulated trash.
The hydroelectric plant on the Drina river, which draws its power from the natural movement of the river, did not want any garbage clogging up the dam. The river buildup of trash is unfortunately common during rainy weather, when the flow of water increases.
The trash blockade on the Drina river near Visegrad is a current issue, and clicking through reveals more photos of the trash blockade. The Associated Press also reported on the pileup of waste on the Drina river. The garbage flow on the Drina river is not a recent occurrence, but an ongoing issue that needs immediate attention.
