A river of rubbish: tons of waste suffocate the Drina (and its fish), the ecological disaster repeats itself in Bosnia

Seasonal rains drag tons of waste from illegal landfills to the Drina River, where debris accumulates against the barrier of a hydroelectric power plant in Višegradin eastern Bosnia. Here, excavators and construction vehicles work tirelessly every day to remove the mass of rubbish that chokes the waterway every winter. But the scenario, in reality, has been sadly known for years now.

This is not a new phenomenon, in fact: with the increase in river flow during the cold season, the waste transported downstream ends up accumulating in the same point practically forever.

For activists of the environmental group Eko Centarthe responsibility is clear: the political will is lacking. The institutions continue to meet and promise solutions, but the emergency images are repeated identically year after year.

The scenes are reminiscent of a disaster movie: the emerald green surface of the river is covered with plastic bottles, wood, furniture, rusty bins, household appliances and even animal carcasses. Among the waste, there would also be medical waste.

A real ecological disaster, which threatens an ecosystem rich in fish and potentially exposed to the release of toxic substances.

Where does the waste come from?

The rubbish comes from illegal landfill sites upstream, not only in Bosnia, but also in neighboring Serbia and Montenegro. In fact, there are numerous minor tributaries that flow into the Drina, each carrying its own share of waste.

During the summer these rivers attract tourists, nature lovers and rafting enthusiasts. However, it is in winter, with floods, that the problem explodes: the swollen waters sweep away the illegal landfills along the banks and convey everything towards Višegrad.

In 2019 the environment ministers of the three countries promised collaboration to resolve the situation, but after years no concrete results have been seen. The emergency reflects the economic and environmental delay that still marks the area of ​​former Yugoslavia, decades after the wars of the 1990s.

Pollution and the European future of the Balkans

River pollution is not the only environmental problem in the Western Balkans. In many cities in the region, extremely high levels of smog are recorded, among the most urgent issues to be addressed. Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro aspire to join the European Union, but environmental protection represents a fundamental condition for membership: without structural interventions, the objective risks moving away.

According to activists, solutions exist: mapping illegal landfills, installing cameras and barriers in different municipalities to stop waste before it reaches the Drina. Today, however, the recovered trash ends up in the local landfill, where it slowly burns, releasing toxic particles into the air — a “vicious cycle” that continues to pollute the city.

The problem involves three countries, but no one seems willing to take full responsibility for it. In the meantime, every winter the river fills up with waste again, reminding us how the environmental crisis still remains unanswered.