Mayors from localities in Anenii Noi district are opposing the selection of the district, including the village of Serpeni, as the final location for regional waste management infrastructure.
In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the mayors called on authorities to examine alternative locations, assess the cumulative environmental impact and ensure that local communities are consulted before a final decision is made, IPN reports.
The mayors argue that the village of Tintareni has already hosted major waste management and disposal infrastructure for several decades, with communities in the district continuing to bear its impact.
In their view, placing additional waste management infrastructure in the same area could create further pressure on the air, soil, water, biodiversity and public health. They also called for an assessment of potential risks to the Bac River basin and, consequently, to the Dniester River.
The resolution also calls for alternative sites in other administrative-territorial units to be examined and compared. The mayors want the final decision to be made only after technical and environmental studies have been completed, public consultations have taken place and all relevant alternatives have been assessed.
They stressed that their position does not amount to opposition to the need for a modern waste management system. Rather, they oppose selecting Anenii Noi district without a comprehensive justification of the potential impact and advantages of the proposed location.
Government Says Project Would Not Be a Landfill
Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder said Thursday, following a meeting with local authorities in Anenii Noi, that the project envisages the construction of a regional waste management center near the Bulboaca Military Training Base, locally known as the “Bulboaca training ground.”
Hajder said the concerns raised by local communities need to be discussed and clarified.
According to the minister, the proposed site is approximately 6 kilometers from Serpeni and 4 kilometers from Speia, while access to the center would be provided via a separate road outside the localities.
Hajder emphasized that the project does not involve the construction of a conventional landfill and that there are no plans to bring waste from across the country to Anenii Noi district.
According to the minister, the planned center would include systems for gas capture, leachate treatment and soil protection.
Hajder added that authorities would continue discussions with local communities as the process of determining the final location moves forward.