CROATIA MARKS EARTH DAY

ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - This year more than half a billion people throughout the world will mark Earth Day, April 22. More than 1,700 organisations for environmental protection have joined in the Earth Day 2000 campaign, which lasts through April to June 5, the World Day of Environmental Protection. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by US Senator Gaylord Nelson. Thirty years ago, 20 million people from all over the world went into the streets requesting a more effective protection of environment and protesting its destruction. The 30th anniversary of Earth Day is an opportunity to remind about the state of environment in Croatia. According to the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Zoning, Croatia is among the leading countries in Europe by drinking water reserves. Eighty-five percent of the water supplying water pumps comes from ground reserves. Air is excessively polluted in 15 percent of Croatian municipalities; in 60 percent of municipalities it is moderately polluted, while in the remaining 25 percent air is clean or insignificantly polluted. The problem of humus decrease is a major problem and as much as one half of arable land is acidified. The concentration of heavy metals in the soil has increased in relation to the natural state of the soil. Compared to Austria's province Tyrol, the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil in Croatia is on the average 30 percent lower. The health condition of woods is worsening, the percentage of trees with bare crowns is increasing due to air pollution, management of economy and changes in the climate. The most endangered species is the fir. Ten years ago, Croatia was at the end of the European list by the percentage of forests affected by acid rain, and has since climbed to the middle of the list. Between one to 1.2 million tonnes of municipal waste are generated in Croatia annually. Of that amount, 60 percent ends up on waste disposal sites, whereas the remaining part is deposited elsewhere since even 205 of 365 municipalities do not have organised transport and collection of municipal waste. Only 1.4 percent of waste is recycled. Hazardous waste accounts for two percent of municipal waste. The amount of industrial waste generated annually ranges between 50 to 60,000 tonnes due to a decreased level of production. Croatia currently has only one public waste incinerating plant (there are several other incinerating plants which are part of industrial facilities), with the annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes, however, only a half of the capacity is being used because most factories cannot afford incineration. (hina) rml