Romania’s Environment Minister Costel Alexe headed out to a landfill north of Bucharest Friday morning after reports emerged that two trucks were loaded with toxic waste.
The ministry said that Alexe had gone to the Boldesti waste disposal site about 70 kilometers north of Bucharest to see the situation for himself, amid growing concern about air pollution levels in the capital pollution and inefficient waste disposal in Bucharest and elsewhere.
Authorities on Thursday impounded two large trucks filled with toxic waste in Boldesti. The National Environment Guard will examine the contents, Agerpres news agency reported.
Separately, the environment ministry carried out spot checks at a medical waste disposal site in the town of Brazi after complaints from hundreds of residents about air quality.
Alexe said he had filed a legal complaint following numerous reports of foul-smelling air discharged from the site, about 50 kilometers north of Bucharest.
Alexe said he would suspend its activity if the company in charge of it didn’t enforce “urgent measures” by mid-February.
The ministry announced it would send the results of a government audit to authorities to investigate whether there were grounds for a criminal inquiry.
