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OSCE PRESENTS AND DISCUSSES REMEDIATION SCENARIOS OF NUBARASHEN TOXIC BURIAL SITE IN ARMENIA
States News Service
October 29, 2013 Tuesday
YEREVAN
The following information was released by the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE):
Outcomes of a two-year OSCE-supported project studying the obsolete
pesticides and persistent organic pollutants in the Nubarashen burial
site, located near Yerevan, and their impact on the environment were
presented and discussed today.
The Nubarashen landfill was established in the mid-1970s as a disposal
site for persistent organic pollutants, a form of toxic waste, and
is located in a valley subject to severe erosion processes. Although
the Armenian Government has taken some measures to repair it, until
recently it posed serious environmental and human health risks.
"Considering the close relationship between environment and security,
the OSCE implemented an important project in the area of prevention
of environmental degradation. This project gathered detailed data
on the boundaries, volume and contents of toxic waste contained in
the burial site in Nubarashen, providing an accurate assessment of
the risk level of environmental damage in the surrounding areas,"
said Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
The workshop brought together the project's main stakeholders,
including representatives of state institutions, civil society and
the international community, to discuss results and follow-up actions.
Potential scenarios for site remediation were presented by Boudewijn
Fokke from Tauw a Dutch company which conducted a project feasibility
study as well as assessment of environmental and health risks.
"The OSCE and the Ministry signed an agreement in 2011 to work together
to find long term solutions to the problem. Now that the study and
the assessment of the site initiated by the OSCE are completed,
we have a solid knowledge foundation for follow-up actions for the
Nubarashen toxic burial site remediation," said Armen Yeritsyan,
Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations.
The project was implemented by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the
Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations, with funding from the
US Government.
From: A. Papazian
States News Service
October 29, 2013 Tuesday
YEREVAN
The following information was released by the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE):
Outcomes of a two-year OSCE-supported project studying the obsolete
pesticides and persistent organic pollutants in the Nubarashen burial
site, located near Yerevan, and their impact on the environment were
presented and discussed today.
The Nubarashen landfill was established in the mid-1970s as a disposal
site for persistent organic pollutants, a form of toxic waste, and
is located in a valley subject to severe erosion processes. Although
the Armenian Government has taken some measures to repair it, until
recently it posed serious environmental and human health risks.
"Considering the close relationship between environment and security,
the OSCE implemented an important project in the area of prevention
of environmental degradation. This project gathered detailed data
on the boundaries, volume and contents of toxic waste contained in
the burial site in Nubarashen, providing an accurate assessment of
the risk level of environmental damage in the surrounding areas,"
said Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
The workshop brought together the project's main stakeholders,
including representatives of state institutions, civil society and
the international community, to discuss results and follow-up actions.
Potential scenarios for site remediation were presented by Boudewijn
Fokke from Tauw a Dutch company which conducted a project feasibility
study as well as assessment of environmental and health risks.
"The OSCE and the Ministry signed an agreement in 2011 to work together
to find long term solutions to the problem. Now that the study and
the assessment of the site initiated by the OSCE are completed,
we have a solid knowledge foundation for follow-up actions for the
Nubarashen toxic burial site remediation," said Armen Yeritsyan,
Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations.
The project was implemented by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the
Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations, with funding from the
US Government.
From: A. Papazian