Environment Minister highlights “first of its kind” arsenic waste management project

Otar Shamugia, the Georgian Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, on Monday said the country was “witnessing its first comprehensive hazardous waste management project” that was aimed at “transforming and securing” affected areas.

During a visit to the village of Tsana in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region, Shamugia and Papuna Margvelidze, the State Representative in the region, observed the ongoing construction of a specialised storage facility designated for  safe handling of arsenic waste.

This project is vital for completely remediating areas contaminated with arsenic waste", Shamugia said.

The project  consists of three phases, two of which have already been executed with isolation of  contaminated areas and implementation of major preparatory works through installation of embankments, sedimentation, and water-conducting channels.

The third phase, expected to commence in the spring of next year, will focus on constructing a dedicated facility for the disposal of arsenic waste. A project of this scale, addressing hazardous waste management, is being implemented for the first time in our country. Upon completion, this area will be fully organised and safe”, he added.

The ecological situation in Lentekhi Municipality has posed challenges since the 1990s, following the closure of mining and chemical plants, the Ministry said, adding “the uncontrolled disposal of arsenic waste has left the community vulnerable”.

Facilitated by the Ministry, the project has involved collaboration with international and domestic experts. Comprehensive studies and public discussions have led to prioritised security measures and initial protective actions.

Recent efforts have included fencing off contaminated areas in the villages of Dzughareshi and Koruldashi to prevent access to dangerous zones. The construction of a 224-metre protective dam and a 350-metre reinforced concrete channel has been completed to safeguard the area from potential flooding threats.

The final phase of the project is planned to be implemented in 2025 with construction of  a  50,500 cubic metre-capacity sarcophagus  to securely contain arsenic waste.