Toxic rocket fuel component now fully removed from Bishkek with OSCE support

A ceremony marking the removal of the last batch of mélange, a rocket fuel component, from Novopavlovka area and the Chui valley in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan took place on 2 November 2021. This brought the total removal of mélange from the area by the OSCE to more than 140 tons, eliminating a major threat to human and environmental security.

“Today we are witnessing an important event, not only for the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, but also for the country's society as a whole. Thanks to the support of the OSCE and donors, it was possible to remove chemicals that posed a serious threat to the environment and the population,” said Akylbek Ibraev, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, during the opening ceremony. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the OSCE, the Ministry of Defense of Kyrgyz Republic, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and U.S. Embassy in Bishkek.

Melange is a highly toxic and hazardous substance that represents serious environmental and human security risks. In case of leakage, it can cause long-term groundwater pollution as well as emit toxic fumes that can expand to surrounding residential areas, causing significant health damage to the population.   

The project to remove mélange from the Novopavlovka and the Chui valley areas is the second phase of an OSCE extra-budgetary project, Regional Programme on Liquid Rocket Fuel Components Disposal, which began in 2019 and has been carried out with the financial support of Germany and United States. The aim of the project is to improve human and environmental security in the OSCE region by removing and disposing of rocket fuel components.

“The Federal Republic of Germany appreciates the Kyrgyz authorities’ commitment to implementing this important project. Thanks to the fruitful cooperation between the OSCE, the United States, Germany and Kyrgyzstan, Novopavlovka is a safer place today. Germany will continue to advocate for disarmament and the disposal of hazardous materials around the world,” said Gabriela Guellil, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Kyrgyz Republic.

“The United States is proud to support this important project, in cooperation with the OSCE and the government of Germany. The residents of Novapavlovka can feel safer with the removal of this Soviet-era rocket fuel today. Protecting Kyrgyzstan from potential environmental threats is a U.S. priority,” said Sonata Coulter, Charge d’Affaires ad interim at the United States Embassy in Bishkek.

The OSCE has a long history and expertise in implementing projects across the OSCE region that help to remove and dispose of hazardous and toxic chemicals being stored in the vicinity of densely populated areas. Similar projects have been successfully implemented by the OSCE in Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Ukraine.