Residents of Kaspiysk in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan have taken to social media to report overflowing waste collection sites, saying they are forced to pile rubbish next to the bins. Acting Mayor Arsen Sherifov blamed an acute shortage of vehicles in an interview with the local outlet Mirmol.
Sherifov said 12 of the 22 garbage trucks serving the city went into repairs at the same time about a week ago, citing poor-quality fuel as the cause. "We filled the vehicles six or seven days ago. The fuel turned out to be substandard. Repairs for each cost us 75,000 rubles. We have restored most of them. But during the repair period, garbage accumulated. It will take two to three days to haul it away," the mayor said.
Sherifov acknowledged that even all 22 trucks would be insufficient for proper waste collection in Kaspiysk, but attempts to rent additional vehicles failed. "We called neighboring regions, traveled to Vladikavkaz and Grozny. But everywhere, unfortunately, there are difficulties, and they won't give this equipment even for rent at any price," he complained. Dump trucks and loaders are now being used to remove waste.
He noted that each piece of special equipment makes two trips to the landfill in Izberbash. "If you make three trips a day, the driver physically won't be able to work. Fifty kilometers through traffic jams in the heat, cars loaded with garbage," Sherifov added.
The crisis in Kaspiysk unfolds amid a fuel shortage in Russia caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries. To cover the deficit, the government allowed several refineries to produce gasoline with deviations from the Euro-5 standard, and on August 5 extended the relaxation to the production, import, and sale of Euro-2, Euro-3, and Euro-4 fuels until July 1, 2027.
The sale of Euro-2 gasoline was banned in Russia back in 2013. The sulfur content in such fuel can reach 500 mg per kilogram — 50 times more than in Euro-5, where the limit is 10 mg/kg. According to fuel market experts, using such gasoline accelerates wear on the cylinder-piston group, fuel equipment, spark plugs, and catalytic converters of modern engines.