Concerns Raised About Air-Polluting Enterprise in Armavir

The Armenian Environmental Front's volunteer initiative received an alarming report at the end of 2019 from Armavir, including photographs and a video, indicating that a factory had resumed operations in their city, emitting dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere at night. This news was later confirmed by a publication from one of the media outlets.

It turned out that a company was processing molybdenum concentrate obtained from the Teghut mine at this factory since November. On December 27, we sent inquiries to two state agencies to obtain the following information: - Which company is conducting this activity? - Does this factory have an approved project? - Has it undergone an environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, public hearings, and does it have positive conclusions from environmental and technical safety examinations, along with a project for permissible emissions?

Based on the responses to our inquiries and our research, the following was revealed:

1. On December 22, 2005, public discussions were held in Armavir regarding the launch of the “Hoktemberyan Ferrosilicon Plant” LLC, attended by around 20 citizens, with no objections against the factory's construction.
2. This company's project for ferromolybdenum production received a positive environmental impact assessment conclusion (Bپ-05) from the Ministry of Environment on January 27, 2006, confirmed by the notorious minister and miner Vardan Ayvazyan.
3. On October 12, 2006, the company received a license from the Government of Armenia to process molybdenum-containing catalysts. Presumably, the company engaged in this activity for several years thereafter.
4. However, by October 2013, the “Hoktemberyan Ferrosilicon Plant” LLC was declared bankrupt, owing around 30 million drams to tax and customs authorities, as well as to several organizations and banks.
5. In the same month of 2013, the Ministry of Environment granted a permit for permissible emissions (SԱT) to another company named “OZF PRODUCTION,” established on April 6, 2012. Notably, the permit stated that “OZF PRODUCTION” LLC had an environmental impact assessment conclusion issued on January 27, 2006. This means that a company established in 2012 is operating based on a 2006 positive conclusion issued to another entity.
6. Moreover, the environmental impact assessment conclusion from 2006 indicated that the sanitary protection zone is 500 meters, which was ensured. Yet, in the 2013 emission permit, this zone was reduced to 300 meters.

After reviewing these violations of the legal framework, we naively assumed that the Ministry of Environment, which sent us these responses and documents, would take appropriate actions in collaboration with other state bodies, resulting in halting the operations of this factory. However, on February 15, 2020, we received a new video from Armavir showing the factory operating at full tilt and emitting pollutants.

It appears that the ministry considers this situation to be normal and sees no need for intervention. It is indeed a troubling scenario when a bankrupt company's 2006 conclusions can serve as the basis for granting a 2013 permit to another firm that can operate without undergoing a new assessment based on an environmental impact conclusion from a different entity.

Additionally, the Environmental and Mining Inspectorial Body has not taken any action and referred our inquiry to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, from which we learned on February 3 that no molybdenum processing factory is registered in Armavir as a hazardous production facility and has not undergone technical safety examination.

Such legal violations are hard to overlook and it is clear that various sectors within the Armenian government regrettably continue the practices of their predecessors. We continue to affirm that urgent revolutionary steps must be taken. We await further developments and clarifications regarding this particular issue.