A fire caused by violations in a waste sorting company caused almost 20 thousand damages to the environment. EUR damage

in 2022 August 17 In Klaipėda, UAB “Virginijus ir ko”, a fire broke out in the sorting base of solid secondary raw materials. Environmentalists found that plastic waste was burning in an open area of ​​700-1000 m².

During the fire, 1.21 t of improperly stored hay bales were burned, pollutants were released into the ambient air, which caused damage to the environment.

During the unplanned inspection, it was found that the company, while carrying out the collection, sorting, crushing, pressing, preparation for recycling, recycling and waste import and export activities of paper cardboard, plastic, chemical polyester (PET), glass, wooden, combined, metal and other packaging waste, kept this waste piled and loose in the open area.

In this way, the conditions of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPC) permit issued to the company were violated. According to the TIPK permit, the storage of sorted, unsorted or residual waste in that territory is provided in closed containers.

The requirements of the General Fire Safety Rules were also not complied with: flammable waste was stored directly against the walls of the building, the necessary gaps were not left, stacks were loaded larger than specified.

The company did not agree that the responsibility for the fire falls on it and for the damage to the environment caused by the fire. He also did not agree with the damage calculated by environmentalists, so he went to court.

Klaipėda District Court no. m. March 5 found that the company “Virginijus ir ko” stored waste in violation of the mandatory requirements of both the pollution permit and fire safety. According to the court’s assessment, the fire broke out and environmental damage was caused because the company did not comply with environmental and fire safety requirements.

The court decided to award the company EUR 19,890.22 in damages and 5%. amount of annual interest from the date of filing the case in court until the full execution of the decision.

The decision can be appealed to the Klaipėda District Court within 30 days.