Serbia to build two units for physical-chemical treatment of dangerous non-organic waste

In the next few months, the Ministry of Environment Protection will have to suggest minimum two of three asked locations for construction of the units for physical-chemical treatment of dangerous non-organic waste to the European Commission. This task is not going to be an easy one because the units will have to meet the strictest ecological standards.

Aleksandar Vesić, the Assistant Minister of Environment Protection, says that the dangerous waste is either piling up in factories or thrown into rivers.

Vesić says that 3m EUR have already been set aside from the funds of European Union for elaboration of the main project, technical-tender documentation, as well as the study on estimate of influence on environment. That is the first phase, while additional 11m EUR are needed for construction of the units.

- According to the project, the unit should treat 43,000 tons of dangerous waste per year, and all by-products of the waste neutralization will be used if they can - Vesić added.

- Our aim is that the factory for physical-chemical treatment of waste treats all non-organic waste produced in Serbia.

Vesić says that large number of municipalities in Serbia expressed interest in construction of such units for destruction of dangerous waste in their locations, which would annually bring profit of up to 5m EUR. However, many of them do not meet the required ecological standards.

- Such units can not be built in the vicinity of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, cultivated fields, water currents, etc. Before the construction, the experts must first test the permeability of land in order to avoid pollution of subterranean waters - the Ministry of Environment Protection reminded.