150 tonnes of obsolete pesticides to be removed from Transnistria

A project to safely dispose of some 150 tonnes of obsolete pesticides stored in Transnistria will start following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Environment Ministry, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Local people will benefit directly from this initiative – the removal of the pesticides will reduce risks to health and life of the population living in Transnistria. At the same time, such co-operation on both banks of the river will promote sound environmental governance and help build confidence,” said Ambassador Jennifer Brush, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. According to the ambassador, the chemicals not only present a threat to the health of the local communities, but also place a financial burden on the local authorities responsible for safeguarding, monitoring and maintaining the storage sites. The agreement on removal of the pesticides came about as a result of the Moldovan and Transnistrian sides’ working group on agricultural and environmental issues.