ALBANIA / Fier / 07/08/2007 A new xonstructed house next to major waste burning place in city of Fier The absence of solid waste management is an enormous and readily apparent problem in Albania. Following the adoption of a market economy, the country's production of solid wastes grew significantly. A variety of imported products entered the Albanian market for the first time. Rapid population growth, urbanization and a boom in construction put significant new stresses on an already weak waste management system. Today, there is almost no organized solid waste management in the country. There are no official, properly managed dumpsites or incinerators, no waste reduction targets, and no waste monitoring programs.The waste is typically burning, spreading pollutants throughout the area. Unrestricted access allows local residents and animals to be exposed to dangerous contaminants. The sites are often adjacent to rivers and other water bodies, some of which may be supplying drinking water. In addition to threatening public health, through air and water pollution, the dumps are also despoiling the otherwise magnificent Albanian landscape. Bevis Fusha / Anzenberger