Moldova Fights Forest Littering with Cleanup Drive
Volunteers and public officials have commenced a waste collection drive in Moldovan forests.
Equipped with gloves and garbage bags, the participants are working to restore the forests' cleanliness. Initial reports indicate a substantial amount of trash collected relative to the size of the areas covered.
At the Bravicea forestry station, Moldsilva Agency employees, Ministry of Environment officials, and volunteers worked together. They voiced concerns about ongoing public negligence regarding waste disposal, as evidenced by the volume of garbage found.
VOX: "The Forest Generation pitches in to clean the forests, ensuring pleasant hikes without the blight of garbage. We still have work to do in educating the public about environmental responsibility."
"The parking lot is particularly littered with debris, including broken glass. There's an excessive amount of trash; perhaps forestry companies should consider providing designated waste disposal areas."
"We support this initiative and join forces with the younger generation to participate. There's a growing awareness of the need for a clean environment, with the population gradually becoming more responsible."
"From my observations, there's a concerning amount of non-degradable waste – various plastics – harming the forest and the wider ecosystem. Unfortunately, the amount of garbage collected is disproportionate to the area cleaned."
"I believe sending a strong message about the importance of cleanliness and ecological awareness is crucial. What we see littering the ground is simply unacceptable."
The cleanup campaign also engaged young children.
"I'm picking up garbage. I even found two pennies! -Is that trash? -Yes, I've filled a whole bag already. We need to clean up for fresh air. It's not hard, it's easy!"
Sergiu Lazarencu, Minister of Environment, believes increasing fines could address the issue of forest littering.
"Plastic and bottles constitute the majority of the waste. We will likely revise legislation and the contravention code to introduce stricter fines. Currently, the penalties are not a sufficient deterrent," the Minister of Environment stated.
The Moldsilva Agency has pinpointed over 300 problematic waste disposal sites throughout the country. Forest cleaning activities under the ##Pădureacurată (CleanForest) initiative will continue on April 14, 20, and 21.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
