Bulgarian environmentalists are delighted that a controversial hazardous waste incinerator in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria has been turned down for multi-million euro funding from the EU due to the project’s inadequate environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. European Commission officials have confirmed the EIA’s various deficiencies, especially its lack of coverage of the project’s impact on human health and the environment.
Shocking levels of dioxin contamination found
near proposed EU-funded waste site in Bulgaria
April 13, 2005
A study of free-range chicken eggs produced in the village of Kovachevo in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria has revealed evidence of alarming levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination, pointing to the crucial need for Bulgaria to fulfill its commitment to reduce human exposure to harmful persistent organic pollutants (POPs). [1] However, the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water continues to promote the construction of a facility which will be a future POPs emitter two kilometres from Kovachevo and which will include a 15 000 tons per year incinerator as well as asbestos and hazardous waste landfills. The National Hazardous Waste Centre (NHWC) project is seeking substantial funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Union ISPA funds.
Report released on: April 13, 2005
Prepared by Dioxin, PCBs and Waste Working Group of the
International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) Secretariat,
Za Zemiata (Bulgaria) and Arnika Association (Czech
Republic)
Reports from other countries part of the IPEN Country Egg Sampling Project:
http://www.oztoxics.org/ipepweb/egg/Hotspot%20Reports.html
The Ministry of Environment and Waters wants to construct an incineration factory and landfill for Hazardous Waste in the already highly polluted region of Radnevo where operates 3 Thermal Power Plants, 3 opencasts and there are five villages. The local affected people do not want this project to be implemented in their region.
