Toxic rocket fuel component removed from site in western Ukraine as part of OSCE project

TSENZHIV, Ukraine, 24 June 2010 - The last cargo train removing a highly toxic rocket fuel component from a site near the village of Tsenzhiv in western Ukraine departed today, making the storage depot the second to be cleaned up as part of an OSCE-Ukraine project.

Deteriorating containers stored at a military base located just one kilometre from the village of Tsenzhiv and a few kilometres from the regional capital of the Ivano-Frankivsk region held 2,200 tonnes of the dangerous liquid. The substance, known as melange, is being transported to Russia, where it will be safely disposed of in specialized chemical facilities.

Representatives from countries that have financed the project, from the OSCE and the Ukrainian Defence Ministry observed the departure of the final train during a visit to the site today.

"This initial phase has become a success story for us all - first and foremost, the people of Ukraine and the donors, and those entrusted with the project implementation - the Ministry of Defence, the contractor and the OSCE," said Shahin Lauritzen, Director for Management and Finance at the Vienna-based OSCE Secretariat. "I am also pleased that the process has showcased adherence to the project objectives - use of proven technology, environmental safety and efficiency."

The conclusion of work at Tsenzhiv marks removal of all melange from two depots in western Ukraine as part of an OSCE project that aims to rid Ukraine of the 16,000 tonnes of melange that remained in the country following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The first stage also included removing melange from a site near the south-western town of Kalynivka. Work on a second stage will start in coming months.

The fuel component can be deadly upon contact, burning the skin, eyes, mucous membranes and lungs. Leaked melange, which quickly turns into gas when it comes into contact with the air, can form a toxic cloud capable of poisoning human beings dozens of kilometres from the site of the leakage.

The depot in Tsenzhiv posed a potential threat to the 8,000 rivers and streams that are located in the Ivan-Frankivsk region, including Ukraine's second-largest river, the Dniester River. More than 7 million people live in the Dniester River basin, which is shared by Ukraine and Moldova.

The project, implemented by the OSCE Secretariat, is set to become the OSCE's largest donor-financed project so far. Donors to this phase of the project include: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Spain, Poland, the Swedish International Co-operation Agency and Ukraine.