Hundreds of tons of solid waste can be found in the river basins of Albania. Plastic and inert waste are dumped into the sea through rivers, causing alarming pollution.

But this is only the visible part.

A study carried out by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) on the water quality of rivers for the years 2014-2021 shows high levels of pollution in most of them, as well as exceeding values of ammonia and ortho-phosphates due to the discharge of wastewater and the indiscriminate use of pesticides in agriculture.

According to the INSTAT study, the most alarming pollution is found in the Ishëm River stations, which are classified as being in a poor condition in the fifth category.

After the Ishëm River, the Seman River is classified as the second most polluted river in Albania.

This is due to its branch, the Gjanica River, where waste originating from oil and its by-products is discharged from the oil extraction areas of Marinzë-Patos and the former Oil Refinery in Ballsh.

For nearly 40 years, the waters of this river have been under continuous pollution, eliminating any form of life.

Albania’s rivers were classified as the most polluted in Europe through a previous study by the European Union.

However, environmental experts say that there is a lack of will to address this issue, and their condition continues to be ignored.

They call for long-term solutions to treat urban waste and wastewater so that rivers can gradually recover their ecosystems and habitats.