03 March 2003 21:25
Work at Russian chemical weapon disposal site halted following inspection
Moscow, 3 March: The Russian Natural Resources Ministry has issued an order suspending the elimination of chemical
arms at a special facility in the village of Gornyy, Saratov Region.
The decision followed an inspection by the state service for control in the sphere of natural resources management
and ecological safety held at the Gornyy chemical arms elimination plant last month.
The inspection highlighted a number of violations of environmental protection legislation, including the absence of a
licence to handle chemical waste.
"The rules of control of the rate of hazardous emissions in the atmosphere were abused and the storing of liquid
waste emerging from the elimination of mustard gas failed to meet the established requirements," the inspection
said.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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