After the National Public Health Centre (NPHC) detected repeated violations of odour emissions at „Lifosa“, the ice has turned and the NPHC has contacted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has already started to investigate the emission permit issued to „Lifosa“.

Requires odour testing once every three months

„Lifosa“ has not stopped after the retrospective inspection again revealed violations and continues to seek to have the company remedy these violations, which makes life much more difficult for the company.

On 7 January, the Environmental Protection Agency received a notification from the NVSC of 2 breaches of the conditions laid down for odour management.

„Following a review of the conditions within 20 working days of receipt of the information, the Agency will prepare a decision on the obligation to modify the permit and instruct the natural or legal person to submit an application to the Agency within a period of at least 20 working days and no more than 30 working days. Upon receipt of the application, the Agency will carry out the permit modification in accordance with the procedure set out in the IPPC rules," said a spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Public Health has clarified what changes will be made to the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permit for Lifosa“.

„The Kaunas Department of the NVSC has submitted a request to initiate an amendment to the IPPC permit, introducing an additional odour management condition: to carry out laboratory tests of the odour emission indicators of the emission sources once a quarter“, – said J. Endrikė.

Deadline – until 20 March

So far, „Lifosa“ has been instructed to clean up by March 20. If the infringements persist then, the company will face suspension of its operations.

„If the company continues to do nothing after we have given it another deadline, and the exceedances are found again, it will be referred to the Environmental Protection Agency for revocation of the pollution permit,

If the company is found in violation three times in one year, the NVSC will initiate the suspension of the pollution permit, which would mean that the company would not be able to operate for five years.

The company itself refuses to comment on the situation.