In the city of Fier, at a very close distance to its center, no more than 200 m in the air line, there is a large septic tank of 3.5 ha filled with waste coming from all over the Fier Region. This problem has accompanied the residents of the area for many years, who have their houses no further than 50-70 m from the "garbage mountain". In the meeting with the citizens organized by "Together fo Life" within the project "Information-communication on environmental policies for sustainable development", citizens feel very revolted by the problems that have followed them for years.
Thoma Gjini, biochemistry expert, is indignant:“I met with some mayors, I went to the Ministry of Environment, we addressed several petitions to the Municipality of Fier. The reason is only economic. It does not cover the costs for vehicles going to areas outside residential areas. Have set two discharge points; one in Zhupan very close to Fier and the other in Verrí, very close also to the residential areas and the center of Fier. This problem is so long in time that the expression "Did you find the garbage or did you find it ?!" We are autochthonous here and only 5-6 families have come these last 2 years. "Everyone is here with blood carbon and skin problems."
Another irritated citizen says: “All those who come to Fier, from the first kilometer, including dozens of cars of deputies, ministers, government officials and businessmen, close the windows of their cars and do not want to know about the horror we are experiencing we here ”.
R.H., equally concerned, explains: “Even though there is a lot of unused land, the Greening-Cleaning Agency has decided to dump the garbage here. Their justification remains the cost of transportation. 30-40 vehicles with 10 km each are a lot of expenses for them and they thought to fall shorter and do it for a shorter distance of 500 m. We have made complaints and petitions, we have made requests to the municipality and the Ministry of Environment, the problem is known to all citizens, there is no place for awareness ".
The resident of that area, J.D explains: “Our problem has gone beyond any awareness. That waste when all the smoke coming out of our houses catches fire, is thrown to the ground to cover the waste from other areas so that it does not look too much and is set on fire but it is even more dangerous because fireplaces can spread by burning even the houses nearby and even worse, not even a firefighter can pass there ".
The existence of this waste has destroyed the entire surrounding ecosystem. All agricultural products are contaminated, for a farmer to have fresh and organic agricultural products must be 100 km away from transport routes and these polluted environments. The area where the garbage is dumped today has all been forested with various plants and filled with cypress trees. Being near the Gjanica River, it has also been polluted and as a result has led to the extinction of some species. "We used to fish there, but today there is no kelp on the side, no mules, no algae as a habitat for living things to grow," said one of the affected residents.
At the end of the meeting, all citizens expressed unanimously:“We demand that they be removed urgently or at least stop throwing others at the moment. We will take some tougher measures if our problem is not solved, we will sue the Green-Cleaning Company to pay the environmental fine and not us with our taxes, and we will block the city roads up to the highway. The situation is alarming! ”
