Skopje, 28 October 2025 (MIA) — Plastic waste floating in the Vardar and other rivers is the result of illegal dumping sites along the riverbanks in rural areas, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning said in a press release pointing out that it was the duty of local authorities to oversee the operations of local public sanitation services.

According to the release, the the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and the State Environmental Inspectorate keep reminding local self-government units that they should monitor the local waste management and regularly send their environmental inspectors to inspect these illegal landfills in rural areas.

In addition, the State Environmental Inspectorate has been drafting amendments to the Law on Inspection Supervision to streamline the inspection system and step up environmental inspections, the release said.

The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning is urging local self-government units, public sanitation services and citizens to all take responsibility for keeping the nation's rivers and streams clean, it said. mr/