News
The first stage of constructing the arsenic-waste-containing sarcophagus in Tsana village is nearing completion.
The Deputy Ministers of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr Solomon Pavliashvili and Mr Kakha Kakabadze got acquainted with the ongoing operations for the sarcophagus construction project in Tsana village, Lentekhi municipality.
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"Since the closure of mining and chemical facilities in the region during the 1990s, the Lentekhi Municipality has faced significant ecological challenges, with arsenic-containing waste left exposed to the open air and uncontrolled. On the initiative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, in collaboration with the Government of Georgia and with the participation of both foreign and local experts, studies and reports have been completed to address this issue by establishing a sarcophagus for arsenic-contaminated waste," said Mr. Pavliashvili.
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The Deputy added that several public discussions were held with officials from the relevant Ministries, scientists, NGOs, and the general public, which resulted in the development of the project and concrete steps toward solving this longstanding problem.
The initial stage of the project is progressing well. A reinforced concrete channel and clarifier (sedimentation tank) have already been constructed, and work on building floodwalls and embankments along the Koruldashi River is ongoing. The second stage of construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of next year, following the successful completion of the current phase.