Unannounced inspections conducted by Moldova’s Ministry of Environment have uncovered illegal dumps of medical waste in the village of Goiany.
The discovery was announced by Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder. According to him, a warehouse in the village of Goiany (Ciorescu commune), on the outskirts of the capital, was being used to store used syringes, IV drips, expired medicines, and other hazardous medical waste in ordinary bags. The total volume of waste exceeded 20 cubic meters.
However, when specialists from the National Agency for Public Health (ANSP) carried out laboratory tests of the air inside the warehouse, their findings confirmed the worst fears. The analysis detected the presence of mercury vapors.
“Laboratory analyses conducted by the National Agency for Public Health (ANSP) confirmed the presence of mercury vapors, indicating air contamination inside the warehouse located in the village of Goiany, Ciorescu commune,” Hajder stated.
The contaminated premises have now been sealed off. According to the minister, the Ministry of Environment intends to commission an independent EU-accredited laboratory to conduct additional testing in order to fully assess the situation. Hajder warned that if soil contamination is confirmed, the responsible party will not only face legal penalties but will also be required to develop and implement a cleanup plan at its own expense.
Once the investigation is complete, all findings will be forwarded to the General Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine potential criminal liability.
The incident has also revived memories of a controversy from last year, when authorities attempted to build a hazardous waste treatment facility in the Chișinău suburb of Sîngera to process waste containing cadmium and mercury. At the time, Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission blocked a local referendum in which residents had planned to express their opposition to the project.
