Saxony-Anhalt to fund shutdown of Leuna Polyamid plants

The state of Saxony-Anhalt has committed to financing the controlled shutdown and decommissioning of chemical plants operated by Leuna Polyamid GmbH. This decision follows the opening of insolvency proceedings for the company, which has been declared assetless regarding these specific facilities by the insolvency administrator.

To prevent environmental and safety risks associated with an unmanaged shutdown, the state is intervening through a process known as Ersatzvornahme (substitute performance) for hazard prevention. The facilities in the Leuna chemical park are used for producing plastics and fertilizers, and they also store ammonia.

While experts previously estimated the costs for a safe decommissioning at approximately 30 million euros, the final expenditure for the state remains uncertain. Total costs will depend on factors such as additional shift work requirements and the management of residual substances remaining in the plants.