The Puhaceni Mayor’s Office, the Sherpeni Mayor’s Office, and the Anenii Noi District Council have asked the Ministry of Environment to review its decision on the location of what is planned to become Moldova’s largest regional waste management center.
In a formal request submitted to the ministry, the local authorities called for the decision to be reassessed.
Puhăceni Mayor Veaceslav Plamadeala said residents are not opposed to modernization, but object to the way the decision was made. According to him, the selected site is located close to natural springs, while no hydrogeological study has yet been conducted to determine whether groundwater could be affected.
“Official documents from the ministry show that there was another site considered more technically suitable. It was ultimately rejected after the local community opposed it. The villages of Puhaceni, Sherpeni, Speia, Decalau, Dubasarii Vechi, Balabanesti, Corjova, and Cobusca Veche, all located near the proposed site, were never consulted before this sensitive decision was taken. Moreover, the government declared the land to be of public utility and launched expropriation procedures before the environmental impact assessment had been completed,” Plamadeala said.
He added that the local councils of Puhaceni, Sherpeni, and the Anenii Noi District Council unanimously voted against the project, arguing that the views of local communities were expressed only after the decision had already been made.
The mayor also called for the process to be suspended, arguing that, given the project’s international funding, its potential impact on nearby communities should be thoroughly reassessed.
Ministry: Concerns Must Be Based on Scientific Evidence
Responding to the criticism, Grigore Stratulat, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, said public concerns should be based on facts and scientific studies rather than assumptions.
According to Stratulat, the project does not involve the construction of a traditional landfill but rather a modern regional waste management center, including a landfill built and operated in line with European Union standards. He said the facility would include impermeable protective systems, leachate collection and treatment infrastructure, landfill gas capture systems, and continuous environmental monitoring.
The official noted that the environmental impact assessment is currently underway and that all legally required studies and public consultations will be completed before any final decision is made.
He also said preliminary mapping and technical investigations indicate that the proposed site maintains adequate buffer distances from residential areas and major water bodies. The final findings will be published in the environmental impact assessment report.
According to the ministry, the access road has been designed to bypass nearby villages, reducing noise and dust for local residents. Authorities say the center will operate under strict environmental and public health standards.
“Our objective is simple: to replace non-compliant landfills with a modern, safe, and transparent waste management system for the benefit of both people and the environment,” Stratulat said.