WRITTEN QUESTION E-3776/97 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (21 November 1997)

Subject: Arsenic tank in Albania

According to press reports and allegations by the President of the Italian Senate who recently visited Albania, there is a tank of arsenic in the region of Fier which is about to burst. This tank is located in a disused chemicals factory and contains 800 cubic metres of the substance. If this tank bursts, this dangerous liquid will reach the southern Adriatic and pollute the shores of the Albania and also coastal areas in Greece and Italy. These two countries have agreed to provide Albania with economic assistance to repair the tank.

Will the Commission say whether it is aware of these circumstances and whether it intends to provide Albania with economic assistance in order to avert this ecological disaster?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3536/97, E-3739/97 and E-3776/97 given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (5 January 1998)

The principles of sustainable development guide the Community support to Albania in the field of environment. It is in particular based on the environment policy of the Albanian government as set out in the national environmental action plan approved in 1993. The Commission has explicitly supported the identified priorities and developed the following initiatives:

- between 1993 and 1999, a total of 28.7 MECU (out of an overall amount of 474 MECU) have been earmarked for environment related projects within the Phare programme (institutional strengthening, policy advice, wetland management, strategies for water and waste management, water and wastewater infrastructures, pesticides disposal). In addition, funding is under consideration for wastewater treatment projects under the cross-border programmes with Italy and Greece. This is complemented by small scale initiatives funded through the Albanian development plan which have a direct impact on the environment;

- the LIFE programme funds 2.1 MECU to support waste projects as a follow-up of the Phare initiatives and coastal zone management.

The Commission 'concept paper' prepared for the donor conferences retains environment related activities as a priority for future funding. At the conferences, strong statements were made both by the local authorities and the international community to support the principles of sustainable development.

Albania has inherited from its past centralised economy considerable quantities of pesticides and other hazardous wastes either supplied by third countries or produced within the country. Unwanted stocks have appeared in different locations presenting high risks for human health and the environment. This is the case of the tank located in Fier and containing arsenic to which the Honourable Members draw the attention of the Commission.

It should be underlined that the prime responsibility for the safe disposal of the unwanted materials lies with the companies responsible (polluter pays principle) and in last resort with the Albanian authorities. However, the Commission has undertaken initiatives to support the efforts of the ministry of agriculture and the ministry of health and environment in their policy of improving proper disposal.

The first initiative was to commission in 1993 an expert to examine the overall situation and to make recommendations for the disposal of the stocks. On the basis of his report, the local authorities developed a programme to reduce the quantities to a minimum by using old stock for its original purposes where still possible, by using certain products as chemical feedstock in industrial factories, by landfilling some low-strength non hazardous materials and by burning specific low-strength powders and dusts in a solid-fuel-powered cement factory.

In support of the Albanian initiatives, an allocation of 1.7 MECU within the Phare programme was agreed in 1996 for a comprehensive disposal programme comprising (i) disposal of 220 tons of pesticides which are totally unusable, (ii) disposal of 200 tons of toxic by-product from the manufacture of the organochlorine insecticide Lindane (now discontinued in Albania) stored at the Durres pesticide factory and (iii) repackaging and long term storage in Albania of two tons of mercurial products and 9.1 tons of arsenical products (including the products stored in Fier). Phare technical and financial assistance will develop the necessary detailed plans for disposal of these unwanted quantities of pesticides in a safe and environmentally sound way and in line with existing Community regulations. The programme also contains training notably in ecologically sound and organic farming.

The Commission is currently reviewing the situation in order to assess what exactly can be done in the short term considering in particular the lack of security in certain areas. It is envisaged to implement the programme in mid-1998.