CROATIA: Citizens of Sisak want dirty industry clean-up/Government says it is already underway

Record ID: 216789

  • Title: CROATIA: Citizens of Sisak want dirty industry clean-up/Government says it is already underway
  • Date: 7th December 2009
  • Summary: SISAK, CROATIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) REFINERY TOWERS SMOKING CHIMNEY
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Croatia
  • Country: Croatia
  • Topics: Nature / Environment,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA4HL9K5XHVASP7OOE0F89BLD18
  • Story Text: Geographically, Sisak is less than 50 kilometres from Croatia's genteel and sophisticated capital Zagreb, but looking at the town it is hard to believe it is located in a country known across the globe for its sparkling seas, green rolling hills and picturesque medieval towns.
    Sisak bears no resemblance to 'the Mediterranean as it once was', as Croatia's tourism slogan goes. Instead it is a picture of drab grey, dry dust and plumes of acrid smoke. The town, built on two rivers and originally a thriving Roman settlement called Siscia, has a long and turbulent history but is now notorious for its foul air.
    "It is kind of ok during the week, but Saturdays and Sundays, actually already from Friday afternoon it is impossible, unbearable," said Arid Fetuedovic, a retired refinery worker, referring to the smell.
    The strong smell comes from emissions of hydrogen sulphide from the local oil refinery, which many view as a blessing and a curse. Along with a big ironworks and pesticide factory, the heavy industrial plants are the impoverished town's employment lifeline. However this also means it oftenup on black lists for pollutants such as benzene concentrates, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide.
    "It stinks, it smell like gas," said local boy Alan Alic.
    The townspeople blame this pollution for Sisak having one of the highest cancer rates in Croatia, and are very aware of their predicament. The town, which often organises protests to get the attention of the government, has its own Cancer Patients Association and is the host of an international film festival focusing on environmental themes.
    "When you are in jail at first it stinks I guess, but then after you spend a night there you don't notice the smell any more. It is the same here. I got used to this kind of air and it is ok for me," said resident Meho Hamzetic.
    As Croatia races to join the European Union by 2012, environmental problems inherited from the heavy industrial base of the former Yugoslavia increasingly come to the fore. In order to meet stringent EU standards for sulphur levels, the INA refinery has gradually modernising been its processing and increasingly plans to produce diesel fuel according to EU norms.
    "For a while Sisak has been our priority in efforts to solve air pollution. Prompted by the government decree in 2005, INA has created their first programme to modernise the refinery by 2010," said Jasenka Cecak, director of the Croatian Environment Ministry.
    "Modernisation of the Sisak refinery, as well as of the Rijeka refinery, is in full swing and already in 2007 when the Claus unit - desulphurisation unit - was installed levels of SO2, sulphur dioxide, in the air dropped drastically, and we can say that as of the year 2008 the problem with sulphur dioxide is solved. Measuring stations regularly show sulphur dioxide levels below the regulation levels," Cecak added, referring to the Claus process of desulphurisation.
    The INA refinery, one of Croatia's most successful companies, has a strategic financial interest in the modernisation, which revolves around a process called hydrodesulphurisation, a chemical method used to remove sulphur from natural gas and refined petroleum products such as gasoline, petrol, diesel and other fuel oils.
    The revamp, whose total cost is estimated at one billion euros, will increase INA's production of fuel that meets European standards and will make it more competitive in the Balkan and EU markets, with company officials pledging that the new technologies will comply with the strictest ecological and safety standards.
    But until these great plans come to fruition, and with the winter winds blowing stench and grime into their homes, for the residents of Sisak it is a far off dream.
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