Samples of air taken at distances of up to a hundred meters from the reservoirs that caught fire recently at the Giurgiulești Port showed increased levels of pollution, with phenol concentrations in particular exceeding the norm by 1.5-2 times, according to lab tests conducted by the Environment Agency.

The increase in phenol concentrations was due to the overheated mineral wool that coated the reservoirs as an insulation material.

The Moldovan Environment Agency, in cooperation with its Romanian counterpart, is monitoring the situation. A mobile laboratory with  cutting- edge technology is used in running periodic tests.

A fire at the Giurgiulești Port erupted on Monday morning, affecting 1,000 tonnes of sunflower extraction residues.