Bulgaria - Environmental Liability Pilot Project : environmental impact assessment

This is an environmental impact assessment of the Environmental Liability Pilot Project, a project financing Bulgaria s cleanup of critical environmental hazards resulting from past operations of the MDK Copper Smelter Complex. Negative impacts and mitigations are listed here: (1) Operate the smelter with a consistent throughput of higher grade copper concentrate to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions, low-level fugitive emissions, and dust. At the same time modify or replace gas cleaning equipment. (2) Reduce treated drainage water and runoff plus water from the slag treatment process by (a) modifying the existing neutralization plant; (a) installing more equipment to produce a solid residue to be deposited safely in lined trenches; (c) later upgrading the plant to a double stage treatment process employing the best technique for treating effluents; and (d) finally, optimizing the smelter operation to reduce the volume of acidic effluent requiring treatment. (3) Wastewater treatment sludge will be stored in a suitably designed lagoon; the fayalite tailings pond, from which dust emissions are blown, will be doubly protected with plastic and a thick soil cover; an old slag dump will be covered to prevent contaminating the sub-surface; and the variety of waste materials, disused equipment, and derelict structures contributing to ground and groundwater contamination will be deposited in the slime pond.