The Sverdlovsk branch of the Russian Ecological Society (REO), led by Ekaterinburg Duma deputy Alexei Vikharev, has requested the prosecutor’s office to investigate three companies..
Environmentalists claim that these companies are transporting class B and C medical waste from Yekaterinburg hospitals to a landfill in Beloyarsk city district without properly neutralizing it.
The REO warns that the companies are taking medical waste from Yekaterinburg's medical facilities, moving it to a production base on the outskirts of the city, and then transferring it to different bags without neutralizing it before finally taking it to the landfill in Beloyarsky urban district. They fear this could lead to infectious diseases and environmental problems.
Deputy Aleksey Vikharev stated that residents of Beloyarsky reported the activities of UMPO and Energo six months ago, complaining about the strong smell of smoke from the medical waste incineration site. Vikharev mentioned that legal action was taken against the companies, but the operations continued with a new scheme.
According to the REO, Energo LLC signs contracts to remove and thermally destroy hazardous waste, but uses vehicles that do not meet sanitary requirements. They transport the waste in unmarked vehicles without a separate driver's cab, container holding devices, or emergency disinfection kits. The organization also claimed that some of the waste is even transported by Yandex Taxi cars.
The REO stated that waste should be decontaminated according to SanPin regulations, but is instead transported to the production base of Ekma-Confi LLC on the Siberian Highway. There, yellow and red bagged waste is placed in black and white bags to conceal its contents, before being loaded into trucks and taken to the landfill in the Beloyarsky district, operated by UMPO LLC.
According to SPARK, businessman Alexander Dudin is the founder of Energo LLC, UMPO LLC, and Ekma-Konfi LLC.
The Sverdlovsk Regional Economic Society is demanding the suspension of Ekma-Konfi LLC, Energo LLC, and UMPO LLC, pending an investigation to assess their actions involving the transportation, disinfection, and disposal of medical waste. They claim that these actions could lead to the spread of pollutants and infections, including Covid-19, in Yekaterinburg and the Beloyarsky district. If the violations are confirmed, they want the perpetrators brought to justice.
Znak.com was able to contact UMPO LLC using the phone number listed in SPARK. A company employee answered and mentioned that Alexander Dudin was not available for comment as he was reportedly not in the city.
