The Purcel Mine located on the outskirts of Chisinau is the largest unauthorized garbage dump in Europe. More than 1.2 million tonnes of solid waste have been deposited there since 2011, said a group of environment specialists who are members of the Coalition of Environmental NGOs “Ziua Pamantului 2014” (“Day of Earth 2014”), who produced the black environment book of Chisinau.

In a news conference at IPN, the head of the Chisinau local office of the Ecologist Movement of Moldova Vlad Garaba said the Chisinau City Hall does not take measures to stop the storing of garbage at the Purcel Mine, while the Ministry of the Environment, which can impose penalties, does nothing because of political interests.

An environment problem described in the black book is the massive cutting of trees in parks and green areas with the aim of erecting apartment blocks and other buildings there. More than half a million of lighting tubes are illegally deposited at companies and institutions, while a part of them are simply destroyed. This leads to the pollution of air with such heavy metals as mercury.

Vladimir Garaba said the problems highlighted by civil society will be repeatedly communicated to the municipality and, if nothing is done to protect the environment, they will appeal to court.

The head of the National Environmental Center Ina Coseru said the Byk River continues to be polluted by its branches that bring sewerage with a strong smell and strange color. The problem can be solved by connecting the apartment buildings and houses situated near the river, which are the main pollution source, to the sewerage system.

Independent environment expert Andrei Isac said the number of acute respiratory infections has increased owing to exhaust emissions. About 50% of the cars travelling on the streets of Chisinau are old and seriously affect the environment.