Expert confirms chronic exposure to hazardous substances from illegal waste dump, while citizens' initiative demands urgent remediation and resignations of those responsible.
Residents of Gospić have been exposed for years to elevated concentrations of heavy metals, microplastics, and improperly disposed medical waste, which, according to experts, will have serious consequences for their health. Illegal waste dumping in the area began back in 2022, and the full extent of the contamination is still being determined.
Prof. Dr. Marin Glad, head of the Department for Environmental Protection and Health Ecology at the Public Health Institute of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, confirmed to the Zadar List that two years of exposure undoubtedly constitute chronic exposure. "If the population is in an area where exposure to such substances over multiple years is possible, then we are talking about chronic exposure. Two years certainly represents chronic exposure," warns Glad.
At the dump site, concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, and antimony have been confirmed to be several times higher than legally permitted values. Prof. Glad explains that each chemical compound has its own threshold above which it can cause harmful effects, and that is precisely why maximum permissible concentrations exist.
"If exposure is below these values, it is considered that prolonged contact should not lead to significant consequences. However, when concentrations exceed the permitted levels, certain effects on human health and the environment are to be expected, especially when it comes to contamination of water or soil," he emphasizes. Lead poses a particular problem because long-term exposure can lead to damage to the nervous, renal, and cardiovascular systems, with children, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses being the most vulnerable groups.
In addition to metals, large quantities of illegally dumped microplastics pose an additional threat. Glad warns that microplastics can cross biological barriers, including the placental and blood-brain barriers, but stresses that the plastic itself is not the only problem.
"Microplastics can carry various chemical compounds and pathogenic microorganisms on their surface. In other words, their potential harmful effect is not only a consequence of the plastic itself, but also of everything that can be found on it," he explains. Plastic surfaces can serve as a habitat for various microorganisms such as streptococci, Escherichia coli, or other pathogenic bacteria, further increasing the risk to human health.
Improper disposal of medical waste is also a serious cause for concern. It is estimated that approximately 15 to 20 percent of all generated medical waste consists of hazardous infectious waste, sharps, cytotoxic and pharmaceutical waste, as well as waste containing hazardous chemicals or heavy metals. "With medical waste, the greatest danger comes from pathogenic microorganisms, and depending on the type of waste, various chemical compounds may also be present," warns Glad.
The citizens' initiative "Gospić Is Our Home" has demanded urgent remediation of the dump site and accountability for all those responsible. "Experts have established damage that is partially irreversible, microplastics that represent a permanent change to the soil, and forever chemicals that remain in the aquifer for decades," the initiative stated, demanding the resignation of those who claimed there was no basis for urgent action.
"How is it possible that only those who did nothing are suffering the consequences? We demand the resignations of those who claimed there was no basis for urgent action, and we demand that responsibility be established throughout the entire chain, from those who brought and buried the waste, through those who issued or overlooked permits and failed to conduct inspections, to those who left citizens' reports unanswered," the initiative concludes.
