site.btaChecks across Bulgaria Turn Out Large Amounts of Buried Pesticides

Sofia, August 18 (BTA) - Checks across the country have turned
out large amounts of buried pesticides. The checks looked into
how pesticides were being disposed of and the prosecutors found
100 tonnes of wrongfully stored pesticides, said the prosecution
 service.

According to a report by the Environment Ministry, the problem
with the disposal of expired pesticides emerged with the winding
 up of the communist-era cooperative farms.

Checks by the Environment Ministry found the largest amount of
buried pesticides in the territory controlled by the Pleven
Regional Environmental Inspectorate (RIE) where they were found
in 16 storage facilities, as well as in Stara Zagora (4 storage
facilities), Montana and Vratsa (two in each) and Blagoevgrad,
Pazardjik and Sofia (one in each). Some of the storage
facilities have since been cleaned up but others remain in poor
condition and unguarded.
 
The Environment Minister told the Supreme Cassation Prosecution
Office that funding is needed for the disposal of 89.145 t of
solid and 9,905 l of liquid pesticides, which makes a total of
100 t of plant protection products.
  
The Environment Ministry has done a risk assessment to use in
prioritizing the funding for the operations of repackaging,
storing, transportation and disposal of pesticides by a licensed
 facility in an EU member state.

Meanwhile, the checks for buried pesticides continue. NV/LN/