RA Environment Ministry issued a new statement, according to which the metal smelting plant being built in Yeraskh Community, Ararat Region, does not in any way violate the Espoo Convention "On environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context". It should be noted that the Ministry of Nature Protection of Azerbaijan issued a statement stating that Armenia violates international environmental standards for carrying out these activities without coordinating with Baku. It was this convention that was invoked in the statement.
The Ministry statement says: "The planned activity is the processing of black metal scrap in the village of Yeraskh, Ararat Region, Armenia, which is not included in the 1st Annex defining the types of activities of the Convention. The intended activity, considering Article 2, Part 5 and Annex 3 of the Convention, cannot also be considered as an activity with significant transboundary harmful effects. Annual productivity of 108,000 tons is considered a small volume for the type of ferrous metal scrap processing activity. The productivity of such processing plants generally starts from 1 million tons.
A two-stage cleaning system will be installed on the exhaust gases, the efficiency of which will make up 99%. The installed systems will ensure a lower level of harmful substances in the gases emitted into the atmosphere than the limit permissible concentrations.
A modern biological treatment plant with 95-98% efficiency is planned for domestic waste water.”
It should be noted that on June 14, the armed forces of Azerbaijan opened fire in the direction of the metallurgical plant under construction in Yeraskh. According to the statement of the Ministry of Defense, two foreign citizens were injured.
June 15, 2023 at 15:13