Carel Hofstra, Acting Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Yeritsyan signed a memorandum of understanding today to launch an environmental security project to address the risks of a toxic waste site.

Some 500 tons of obsolete pesticides and persistent organic pollutants, including DDT, were buried on a hill in the Nubarashen district of Yerevan in Armenia. Last year, the OSCE helped devise an emergency action plan to address the release of chemicals into the surrounding environment.

The site remains an environmental hazard, however, as it is located in an active landslide zone, close to populated areas and agricultural zones. The newly launched project will determine the risks of the site to the environment and human health, analyze the contents and geo-physical situation of the landfill, and recommend several options for final remediation of the site.

“I trust that the human risk survey, geo-physical study of the site and analysis of the landslide and erosion risk carried out under the project will help to have a clear picture and recommend effective solutions,“ said Carel Hofstra.

The OSCE will provide organizational, technical and financial support for the project, which will continue until end December, 2012.