Ecology, Industry, Latvia, Markets and Companies

In line with the legislation, a warning is the first step of the suspension process. VVD inspections have discovered grave violations in management of hazardous waste – residue of different chemicals. The company has been violating the regulations in a long term.

“The goal of the warning is not to actually suspend the company’s operations, but to give a clear signal that significant changes are necessary. Inspection results show that Biolars has been ignoring the environment protection regulations in a long term. The amount of hazardous waste that can be stored in the company at the same time has been exceeded 40 times and they have been stored inappropriately,” said VVD general director Elita Baklane-Ansberga.

VVD has given the company time until September 5 to deal with the problems. VVD inspectors will control the company’s operations also during this time. Biolars has to submit a detailed plan on how the detected violations will be corrected.

As reported, in late May, VVD inspectors and police officers detained a polluter who had intentionally leaked chemical substance on roadsides in Zemgale region.

The VVD received complaints from local residents about pollution with unknown substances on roadsides in a number of counties in Zemgale, and two days later detained a person whose vehicle had leaked the chemical substances in Jelgava and Bauska counties in a distance of several kilometers. A criminal process has been launched.

According to initial assessment, the substance is cyanide ions originating from Olaine chemical plant Biolars.

Biolars so far has no status assigned in the criminal procedure. Biolars representatives said that the company will cooperate with the responsible institutions in investigation.

VVD representative Maruta Buklevica told LETA earlier that so far there are no concerns about damage to human health, but residents are asked to be cautious and avoid the polluted roadsides.