Romania Environment Ministry seeks state of alert for Sintești waste burning

The Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests has requested the emergency establishment of a state of alert in the Sintești area, located in the Vidra commune. This request is driven by persistent illegal waste burning, which the interim Minister of Environment, Diana Buzoianu, has described as a “chronic pollution hotspot.”

Despite over 50 interventions in the past year, including fines and the confiscation of hundreds of tons of materials, the illegal burning continues to impact air quality in Ilfov and neighboring Bucharest. The Ministry has addressed its request to the Ilfov and Bucharest Prefectures.

Proposed measures include continuous surveillance and the installation of permanent filters at the four main access points to the Sintești area. The goal is to identify and intercept trucks transporting waste before materials are deposited or burned. The plan involves coordinated efforts between the Police, Gendarmerie, ISU, DSU, the Environmental Guard, and the State Inspectorate for Control of Road Transport.