In the title "Britain with a toxic donation for the Balkans", the newspaper "Guardian" in 2001 writes about the incinerator given to Macedonia by the British government for the burning of medical waste, which violates the standards of the European Union and would be illegal in Britain. The incinerator used in the Drisla landfill is a donation from the British government, confirmed by the Ministry of Environment and the City of Skopje for Makfax.
The British government has assigned the incinerator as humanitarian aid and, according to the story, it is located near the capital Skopje. The text written 16 years ago began to massively share today on social networks with domestic users and again caused reactions of concern about the high level of air pollution.
"If the country joins the EU, as it hopes, the incinerator would have to close because it is a danger to locals and violates EU standards. The incinerator is one of the few provided for the Balkans by the World Health Organization (WHO), none of which meets EU standards, "the Guardian writes.
The newspaper quotes Adam Ostrovsky, an expert on toxic waste management, who in his statement says:
"This is one of the worst pieces of dirty technology masked as an aid I've seen in Eastern Europe."
Ostrovsky said the basic equipment was functional but lacking essential accessories for maintaining equal temperatures or essential equipment for cleaning waste gases to remove toxins that could cause cancer and birth defects.
"I'm really surprised that the British government is involved in such practices," Ostrovsky says. "This technology is illegal in Western Europe. It is simply not fair to give the Macedonians knowledge of toxic emissions and then it will be abolished when will enter the EU. They should be embarrassed, "the statement said in the text.
Ministry of Environment: The incinerator is within the "Drisla"
"The current incinerator, which is located within the Drisla landfill, is a donation from the British government," the Environment Ministry told Makfax.
According to spokeswoman Besa Tatesi, this incinerator is unique in the country. It is planned to set a new one, but it is not known at the moment when this will happen.
"We are aware that the incinerator itself does not meet the standards expected and which one insiner should fulfill, further, in accordance with the integrated environmental permit that they have in Drisla, it is planned to set up a new incinerator, which will be contemporary and built and will work in accordance with the standards ", told us Tatesi.
From the City of Skopje they say that the insiner in the function of the landfill is a donation from Great Britain and it is still in use.
"The City of Skopje expects after the decision of the Administrative Court to close the issues for the further management of the landfill, and then to solve the issue of procurement of a new incinerator that would satisfy the environmental standards and would exercise other benefits for the health and well-being of the citizens", say the City of Skopje.
Recently, the Drisla landfill was fined with 8,500 euros when it was found that it did not comply with the protocols for burning medical waste. The media had previously reported over the years that the incinerator did not meet the standards and repeated announcements that it was planned to change it. The Mayor of Skopje, Petre Shilegov, said that there are serious indications of crime at the Drisla landfill, as well as speculation that there is any kind of waste burning there, but also that the institutions should seriously dedicate themselves to this problem.
Christina Ozimec
