The Environment Agency has issued two permits to the Rybnitsa Steel Works – one for waste management and another one for the emission of air pollutants from stationary sources into the atmosphere. Both of the permits are valid until October 20, 2024, IPN reports, with reference to RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service.
According to the head of the Environmental Inspectorate Ion Bulmaga, environmental inspectors last week visited the Steel Works and carried out a 10-day check. “In the control minutes, we listed the sources of air pollution, the waste management conditions at the enterprise, and the file was later submitted to the Environment Agency,” Ion Bulmaga told RFE/RL’s Service.
Contacted by the Service for comments, the head of the Environment Agency”s Environmental Regulation and Permissive Documents Division Mihail Dohotaru said that the file of December 21, 2023 showed that the irregularities detected earlier at the Rybnitsa Seetl Works were dealt with by economic agent and the two permits could be thererofe issued.
According to the Environmental Inspectorate, the plant will be subject to an annual inspection, but unannounced checks can also take place if complaints are received. The inspections are coordinated with the Reintegration Bureau. Over the last year and a half, the inspectors hadn’t been prevented by the unconstitutional Transnistria authorities from entering the region, according to Ion Bulmaga.
During the state of emergency, the permits for the plant located on the left bank of the Nistru River were extended by the Commission for Emergency Situations by derogation from the law, the last time on October 30, 2023, until December 31, 2023. In the Cabinet meeting of November 1, 2023, Minister of Environment Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov explained that the permits were extended after the company was checked and was given a time limit by which to bring its activities into compliance with the environmental legislation of the Republic of Moldova.
