Skopje at plus 40: streets reek from container leachate and garbage trucks

Skopje at plus 40: streets reek from container leachate and garbage trucks

Residents report unbearable stench and leachate at container micro-locations; Public Enterprise "Communal Hygiene" says it washes the sites in summer and announces a donation of 40 specialized vehicles next month.

The hellish temperatures for weeks — up to plus 40 degrees, according to reports — are making everyday life in Skopje difficult and increasing problems with insects; mosquitoes remain despite disinsection campaigns. Citizens also report sightings of snakes in frequented locations, such as Zhena Park, and in the neighborhoods Debar Maalo, Bunjakovec and Kapishtec additional emergency deratization actions have begun after complaints about rodents.

Trails of leachate and sticky asphalt

Photos showing traces of liquids under containers and along the routes taken by garbage trucks are being shared on social networks. "A living contagion" – reacted a resident of Taftalidze, suggesting that the leakages represent a health risk.

In Vlae, residents complain most about the condition of Klenoec Street: "Cleaning is needed, the street should be washed and appropriate measures taken so that the same situation does not repeat again" – a resident of the neighborhood complains, calling for immediate cleaning and preventive measures. There are also complaints about the city square and Macedonia Street, where hundreds of tourists pass daily.

We asked Public Enterprise "Communal Hygiene" for an explanation as to why the container locations are not washed more often and what is being done about the leachate from the trucks. They say that in the summer period they regularly wash the micro-locations where the containers for waste disposal are placed and attribute the seepage to improperly packed organic waste.

"When it comes to the dripping of liquid from the trucks, this phenomenon is the result of improper packaging of disposed organic waste in the placed containers. Public Enterprise "Communal Hygiene" – Skopje appeals that organic waste be packed in double bags, in order to prevent liquid from seeping into the containers or into the special municipal vehicles that transport the waste," the enterprise says.

Regarding the announced procurement of 40 new specialized trucks and the number of functional vehicles, the enterprise stated: "In accordance with public procurement procedures, it is expected that during next month the enterprise will receive a donation of 40 special municipal vehicles intended for the collection and transport of municipal waste in the territory of the City of Skopje. At the moment, the enterprise has around 70 functional special municipal vehicles" – say officials from "Communal Hygiene".

Mayor Orce Gjorgievski began his mandate with a 72-hour city cleaning action, introduced a ban on dumping waste after 22:00 and recommended that caterers and markets sign contracts for special containers. Despite this, citizens say that the hygiene situation has not visibly improved and demand that the streets be washed with tankers and that thorough cleaning be done around the containers — measures that used to be regular practice in Skopje.

Photo: Sloboden Pechat