A consortium of Tauw, Witteveen+Bos, Milieukontakt and Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE) is selected by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to conduct a site assessment and feasibility study of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), pesticide burial site Nubarashen in Armenia.
The Nubarashen Burial site was built in the mid 1970ies as a disposal site for POPs, obsolete pesticides and other chemicals. The burial site is located on the south east side of Yerevan in a valley subject to severe erosion processes. A small village comprising of summer cottages is located around four kilometres down the slope from the burial site. Other villages are located in the area at some greater distance to the burial site.
In 2010 OSCE and FAO experts, assisting the Ministry of Emergency Situations, concluded that emergency measures had to be taken as the complete cover of the burial site had been removed and there was a direct risk of the spread of pesticides waste via surface water and by air. Recently the site was capped with clay and the area was fenced. The Ministry of Emergency Situations also installed permanent site guards.
The consortium will investigate the site and carry out feasibility study to support the selection of a long term solution for the elimination of risks for the POPs pesticides waste at the burial site. Special attention will be paid to assess health risks for vulnerable groups living close Nubarashen.
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