Thousands protest in Croatia to demand government clean up toxic waste
Summary
Tens of thousands of people protested in Zagreb, Croatia, demanding the government clean up a large illegal dump of toxic waste near Gospic. The waste includes medical and industrial materials, and residents fear it is harming the environment and public health.Key Facts
- More than 30,000 tonnes of hazardous waste are illegally buried near Gospic in Croatia’s Lika region.
- The waste came from other European Union countries and was dumped since 2023.
- Police and Europol arrested 13 people linked to the illegal dumping, with suspects earning over $4 million.
- Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said cleanup work will start soon with a chosen contractor.
- Government tests say there is no soil or water contamination, but an anticorruption agency found harmful metals and PFAS "forever chemicals" in the area.
- Protesters want a full cleanup plan with deadlines and removal of all waste within three months.
- The environmental damage is currently local but could spread to rivers and the Adriatic Sea, which supports local tourism.
- The scandal has led to criticism and investigations of other illegal waste sites in Croatia.
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