site.btaRuse Environment Inspectorate Rejects Planned Construction of Waste Incineration Plant in Giurgiu

The Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate in Ruse believes that there is potential for cross-border impact from a facility for incinerating medical and animal waste that is being initiated as a project proposal in Giurgiu (across the Danube in Romania), the Inspectorate's head Tsonka Hristova said here on Thursday. A review of the environmental impact assessment concluded there is unsatisfactory description of the investment proposal both in the stages of the production process and of the technical infrastructure needed next to and on the territory of the installation. That leaves unclear the entire production process.

The assessment lacks data on how the dangerous chemical substances to be used as reagents and auxiliary materials will be stored. The information provided on the Waste factor is also unsatisfactory. Due to insufficient data, it remains unclear how the waste will be sorted, will waste from other countries be delivered, how and for how long will the waste be stored, and how the ash from the production process will be subsequently treated. 

No plan for odour management has been proposed, and no detailed assessment of the unorganized emissions on site has been provided.

Residents of Ruse are organizing a petition against the construction of the waste incineration installation in Giurgiu. Mira Doushkova, one of the petition's initiators, told BTA: "Several of us self-organized and gave the start of a petition two days ago. Those who wish to sign it can do so in several locations in the city." The petition will be sent to the Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria and to Ruse Municipality.

According to Doushkova, the installation should not be built because the necessary analyses have not been done. This will be an additional source of air pollution in Ruse. Also, the locals are very sensitive to the air quality topic because of the chlorine gassing in the 1980s, she explained.