Under the procedural guidance of Dnipropetrovsk regional prosecutors, a scheme of illegal hazardous waste disposal and mineral extraction has been exposed at an industrial landfill in Dnipro, the Prosecutor General’s Office has reported.
"According to the investigation, the company disposed of industrial waste at a landfill covering around 23 hectares, located within the city on forest fund land," the office said on its Telegram channel on Monday.
According to prosecutors, hazardous waste was recorded as safe – classifier codes were altered and false information was entered into consignment notes, environmental reports, laboratory test results and documents on purported disposal.
"In fact, it was not treated or neutralized, but buried on the landfill’s territory. This led to contamination of the land plot and created a hazard to soil, air and the environment," the Prosecutor General’s Office explained.
Nine companies have been documented as having transferred more than 23,000 tonnes of hazardous waste to the landfill over the past year and paying almost UAH 6 million for its disposal.
In addition, according to the report, the company’s director organized illegal extraction of loam – a mineral used in construction – on the landfill’s territory.
"Special equipment was used for this, and the extracted raw material was sold under the guise of other products. The total volume of illegally extracted loam exceeds 1,300 cubic meters," prosecutors said.
As part of the pre-trial investigation, 65 searches were conducted at the suspects’ places of residence, in vehicles, offices and at the landfill in Dnipropetrovsk region and Kyiv.
Mobile phones, vehicles, funds and documentation were seized and will be sent for expert examination.
The company’s director, chief engineer and accountant have been notified of suspicion of violating rules on the protection or use of mineral resources and illegal mineral extraction (Parts 2 and 3 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The question of choosing preventive measures for them is being decided. The final amount of damage caused to the environment will be established after expert examinations are conducted.
