Kosovo’s Waste Crisis: Landfills and Health Risks Threaten Environment

Gjilan, Kosovo — The improper management of waste in Kosovo has led to the establishment of hazardous open-air landfills, significantly contributing to environmental pollution and public health concerns. For over two decades, the Mirash landfill in Obiliq has served as a dumping ground for waste from seven municipalities in the Prishtina region, alarming local residents.

“We’ve already had enough problems with the power plants, let alone this waste landfill,” said Adem Shalaku, a resident of Lajthishtë/Leskosic, which is located approximately two kilometers from the Mirash site. He described the conditions in the area as unbearable during summer months due to the overpowering smell coming from the landfill.

Shalaku further criticized the inaction of authorities, calling the landfill an “atomic bomb” that poses significant risks to health and safety, insisting that it should have been addressed years ago. Residents in the area are already coping with pollution from nearby coal power plants that are essential for the nation’s electricity.

In 2023, Kosovo generated around 490,000 tons of waste, the majority of which ended up in poorly managed landfills or illegal dumps, according to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics. Alarmingly, only 3 percent of the total waste was recycled, largely due to a lack of facilities and programs.

Landfills resembling Mirash also exist in Gjilan, Mitrovica, Pejë, Prishtinë, Dragash, Prizren, Gjakovë, and Podujevë, with most being overseen by the Kosovo Landfill Management Company. Built between 2001 and 2008 with support from the European Union, many of these landfills have now exceeded capacity and do not comply with European environmental standards.

The state of these landfills is described as alarming, according to the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (AMMK). “The environmental and infrastructural state of Kosovo’s landfills is alarming and far from European standards. Many have exceeded their designed capacity, and waste accumulation has reached unacceptable levels,” an AMMK representative told Prishtina Insight.

The poor conditions at open-air landfills often attract stray dogs and birds, raising concerns about the spread of infections. Although legally obligated, operators fail to cover the waste daily and implement effective waste separation practices. Moreover, the absence of adequate environmental permits complicates remediation efforts.

Illegal dumping sites are prevalent, even as the AMMK has reported a reduction in such locations from 2,246 in 2018 to 403 in 2023. However, Agron Demi, a policy analyst at NGO Atlas Institute, noted that Kosovo continues to face one of the most significant waste management crises in the region.

“Despite the reduction in illegal landfills, the levels of methane emissions from waste in Kosovo remain the highest in the region,” Demi explained. He cited a World Bank report indicating that greenhouse gas emissions surged to nearly 9 metric tons of CO2 as of 2019, accounting for 8 percent of total emissions in the Western Balkans.

Local residents also illustrate this crisis. In Prishtina’s Kalabria neighborhood, Bajram Islami expressed frustration over inadequate waste containers and municipal negligence. “The containers are of poor quality, and the municipality does nothing. We’ve been in this situation for several years,” he said, highlighting the broader systemic issues affecting waste management.

Efforts at addressing the situation are underway, with the Kosovo Ministry of Environment working on a circular economy strategy that aims to improve recycling and waste treatment infrastructure. A new initiative is reportedly in the pipeline to establish a deposit-return system for plastic bottles, glass, and cans.

Despite institutional efforts, the challenges appear daunting. Many municipalities operate inefficiently, leading to discrepancies in waste management services across the region. Demi advocates for increased private sector involvement, as seen in Prishtina, where challenges triggered the municipality to contract private waste collection services.

To achieve lasting improvements, experts insist that both local and central government institutions must develop comprehensive policies that promote waste reduction and allocate resources toward effective recycling facilities.

The AMMK emphasized that to tackle the waste management crisis effectively, an investment in waste treatment and recycling infrastructure is necessary. This includes enhancing oversight measures to prevent illegal landfills and promoting public awareness about sustainability.