Did you know that Albania buries over 70% of its waste? Did you know that even if you separate your waste into plastic, metal, and other, it still gets mixed together and buried in the earth or even burnt?
There is no official recycling programme at the moment in Albania and estimates put the amount that actually makes it to recycling at between 7%-14%. Instead of rising up to meet the standards set by the EU if Albania wants to join, they have actually reduced the amount of recycling year-on-year, whilst amounts of waste are increasing. In fact, Albanian households are producing twice as much waste as they were a decade ago, meaning double the amount of rubbish ends up in the earth or the atmosphere around us.
By 2020 (just over a year from now) Albania needs to reach a target of 55% recycling if it is to satisfy the demands of the European Union- considering the year on year increase of waste, and the decrease in the % that is recycled, I cannot see this happening.
But what is stopping them?
This is what I do not understand. Based on a cost-benefit analysis, most EU countries have set recycling as a national priority as the amount of revenue generated from the sale of these products, far outweighs the investment needed. Materials such aluminium and certain types of plastic are in demand and can command a decent market price, therefore contributing to a healthy and robust waste management system.
Instead of making money from the increasing numbers of waste that the country is creating, the government have spent EUR 190 million on three incinerators. These incinerators are by no means a long-term solution and they put the health and safety of citizens at risk as well as polluting the natural environment.
So, let me just recap. Albania has more waste than it can cope with, there is no government recycling programme, and their only solution is to burn it which puts the lives of people, and the health of nature at risk.
From what I understand, the Albanian government also wanted to import other countries waste that would be buried and burnt in this beautiful place, in return for large sums of money. What madness is this?
Albania is lucky that it benefits from one of the most beautiful, diverse, and ecologically rich environments in the world- it is a place of OUTSTANDING natural beauty, and yet no one seems to be interested in keeping it that way. I will continue my community clean-ups, I will continue to talk about the need to Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle, and I will continue lecturing anyone that will listen on the perils of plastic bags and straws, but at some point, the powers that be need to step up and take some responsibility. This land is not yours, we are merely custodians for the short time we are here, and as such, we have a responsibility to take care of it and ensure that it remains intact for years to come. It is not there for us to damage, destroy, and disregard, just for profit.
Albania needs a recycling programme QUICKLY and we ALL need to start realising that it is our duty as human beings to look after the world around us. Planting a tree or two is all very well and good, but it doesn’t undo the damage caused by burying waste, burning waste, and throwing rubbish into the rivers and seas in the hope that someone else will take care of it.
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