site.btaEnvironment Minister Denies Reports that Radioactive Waste Is Incinerated in Bulgaria

August 7 (BTA) - "Radioactive waste is not incinerated in Bulgaria. Don't trust lies, hazardous waste is not incinerated here," Bulgarian Environment and Water Minister Emil Dimitrov told a news conference here on Thursday evening.

He thus denied a social media post earlier in the day by former ombudsman Maya Manolova, according to which Varna was on the brink of an ecological disaster because over 5,500 tonnes of hazardous waste had been imported from Britain.

"This is the fifth successive shipload arriving here," Dimitrov said, specifying that the waste in Varna is common modified fuels. "The UK is entitled to export waste until the end of this year, and Bulgaria, as a EU Member State, cannot prevent any of the rest of the Member States from importing, just as they cannot prevent us from exporting," the Environment Minister explained. "We are monitoring all ships and cargoes," he added.

Asked for comment on pollution of beaches along the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast by palm-oil pellets, Dimitrov said that samples from the slicks in the seawater have been taken for an analysis so as to determine whether they present a human health hazard.

"I don't think anybody did it on purpose," he pointed out. RI/LG//