The impressive, but also disturbing 6,000 kilograms of waste from a small area in the high parts of the Bulgarian mountains were collected by participants in this year's traditional mountain cleanup, organized by “Za Zemiata“. The initiative of the environmental organization, which started 27 years ago, this year focused on the Western Rhodopes and more specifically on the area of the Kabata hut and the Persenk hut.
For 6 days, over 80 volunteers aged between 4 and 63 from all over the country removed the traces of human activity left carelessly or recklessly in the mountains, cleaning up unregulated old dumps near huts, dairies, former pioneer camps, fountains and historical excavations. A significant portion of this waste not only constitutes a pollutant for generations to come, but also increases the risk of forest fires.
Mountains of plastic
Plastic continues to be the main waste that ends up in nature, and also the most problematic. In addition to not being biodegradable, it is broken down into small pieces that are difficult or even impossible to collect, which can further pollute the soil and water.
There is also another increasingly relevant problem - plastic and glass waste thrown into the forest also increases the risk of forest fires. This was an additional motivation for the volunteers to get involved in the clean-ups.
With care for subsequent recycling, the volunteers separated metal waste and glass. They also collected plastic bottles and cans separately. The presence of dozens of bags with only this type of waste, found even in places where human access is difficult, has proven for another year that Bulgaria needs a deposit system for packaging as soon as possible.
With care for people and nature
Despite the hard work and often unpleasant nature of the activities carried out, the volunteers and organizers are satisfied with the work done and happy to have shared cool days in the mountains with like-minded people.
„Mountain cleaning is magic! I can't explain how it can be so satisfying, desperate, energizing, infuriating and at the same time super fun to clean tons of garbage from the mountain“ – emotionally shares Anastasia Gergova, a volunteer for several years, and now a co-organizer.
„The good news is that the hut owners of both huts welcomed us well, got involved in the waste removal and most importantly - they serve food and drinks in reusable containers, no plastic“ – says Danita Zarichinova, one of the organizers.
„Cleaning up old dumps in the mountains also shows us the restorative power of nature: under the lush green meadows there is often a carpet of plastic waste, discarded decades ago. And among them, berries have managed to make their way, grow and ripen. Hopefully, man will soon realize that he is only a part of nature and should treat it with respect“ – shares after the action Fatmegül Mustan, a volunteer and part of the organizing team.
About the campaign
The high-mountain cleanups under the title “Trash in the Backpack“ began in 1999. Since then, over 140 tons of waste have been collected and removed from Bulgaria's national and natural parks.
To date, the campaign is part of a larger and long-term initiative to reduce waste for the purpose of prevention. The “Clean the Mountains” campaign continues to organize cleanups, but is also aimed at working with institutions related to the mountains - national and natural parks, municipalities, mountain huts, the Bulgarian Tourist Association and various businesses and NGOs in the mountains. The long-term goal is not only to clean up contaminated areas and remove illegal dumps, but also to foster a responsible attitude towards waste and the mountain.