Garbage piles up in Greece

This item appears on page 4 of the August 2017 issue.

Garbage workers throughout Greece began a strike on June 19, one which was ongoing as of press time, causing piles of garbage to build up on the streets of major cities. Workers were striking due to fears that austerity measures could cause up to 10,000 of them to lose their jobs at the end of their contract period. The Greek government has promised to find at least 2,500 permanent positions for the workers.

Officials asked people to keep their garbage in their homes, as a heat wave in Greece had caused the piles of trash to emit very strong odors. The garbage has also attracted rats, insects and stray cats and dogs, all of which may spread disease.