The Ministry of Environmental Protection, after several letters sent by RERI’S legal team, informed the investor that the conditions for the construction of a hazardous waste incinerator on the territory of the City of Požarevac had not been met.
The construction of the incinerator, which was announced as the first hazardous waste incinerator in the Republic of Serbia, was planned on the territory of the City of Požarevac.
In March 2019, the local self-government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the company Elias Eco, which is part of the Korean corporation Youngsan. With the mentioned memorandum, the City of Požrevac has made a blank commitment to provide support to the investor at all levels, as well as to give the highest priority to the procedures necessary for the realization of the investment.
After obtaining information on the location from the City Administration of the City of Požarevac in March 2019, the investor addressed the Ministry of Environmental Protection with a request to make a decision on the location for the construction of a factory for thermal treatment of hazardous waste. Namely, due to the harmful impact that the plant can have on the environment, the consent of the Ministry of Environmental Protection is necessary for its construction.
RERI addressed the Ministry of Environmental Protection on three occasions, submitting evidence for its claims and explaining in detail the lack of conditions for giving consent on the location for the construction of the incinerator because that would be contrary to urban conditions, environmental conditions and regulations which regulate waste management.
On 28 May 2020, the Ministry of Environmental Protection informed the investor that the cadastral plot on which the construction of the hazardous waste incinerator is planned is located in the zone where the predominant purpose is production and service activities, and that it implies the construction of trade, cultural, entertainment, business, smaller production facilities, etc., which RERI pointed out from the very beginning of the project monitoring, and that in the future the urban project can envisage another purpose, but only if it is compatible with the existing one (which is certainly not a hazardous waste incinerator).
Also, the Ministry pointed out to the investor that, contrary to the claims of the City Administration of the City of Požarevac, the plot on which the construction of a hazardous waste incinerator is planned does not meet the requirements for a construction plot, since part of the cadastral plot is outside the construction area, which RERI also pointed out from the very beginning.
With the mentioned letter, the Ministry pointed out to the investor the need to prepare a study on environmental impact assessment and to obtain an integrated permit, as well as other shortcomings in the technical documentation.
RERI welcomes the decision of the competent Ministry, because it believes that it is based on positive regulations of the Republic of Serbia and repeats that all public authorities are obliged to plan and implement projects that are marked as important, either locally or nationally, act and make decisions in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Serbia.