After Storm, Some Adriatic Beaches Look Like This

It's hard to find the Pearl of the Adriatic underneath all the trash washing up. A storm has turned the famous beaches of Dubrovnik, Croatia, into a garbage heap, and the culprit appears to be Albania, the New York Times reports. City officials say "the vast majority" of the garbage deposited onto Banje Beach and the city's Old Town this week had labels and materials indicating it originated in Albania. The incident highlights an ongoing issue for Dubrovnik, which has dealt with similar influxes of garbage during winter months for years.

The Adriatic Sea's currents, which flow through a single narrow entrance, carry debris from neighboring countries to the Croatian coast. Locals note that the problem extends beyond trash, with dead animals occasionally washing ashore as well. Mayor Mato Frankovic said Croatia's foreign ministry has been in discussions with Albania about the recurring problem, even offering financial assistance to help Albania manage its waste. Frankovic noted that much of the trash remains on the sea floor, out of sight.

But Albania is also suffering under mounting trash. "Garbage also covered some beaches in northern Albania after severe weather conditions and floods hit the country earlier this week," the AP reports. Cleanup crews are now working to remove the debris in Dubrovnik, which consists mostly of plastics, but also metals and medical waste, the Times reports, adding truckloads are slated to be hauled away over the next several days. Recycling groups say they'll try to repurpose some of the plastics.