Utility Company Director Charged with Negligence After Odesa Landfill Fires

Law enforcement officers have served a notice of suspicion to the director of a utility company whose negligence led to large-scale fires at a household waste landfill in the village of Dobrozhanove, Odesa district.

This was reported by the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

He was charged with official negligence and air pollution with hazardous substances and waste due to violation of special rules, which posed a threat to life, health and the environment (Article 367, part 2, Article 241, part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office

According to the investigation, the official responsible for the operation of the landfill systematically neglected his duties. He did not ensure proper security of the territory, did not take fire safety measures, and did not control the accumulation of biogas.

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office

In June 2023, these violations caused a large-scale fire at the landfill that lasted 11 days. The fire caused the release of biogas and other hazardous substances into the air over an area of more than 1 hectare. In September, a new fire broke out and quickly spread to 0.28 hectares due to dry weather and strong winds. It took 9 hours to eliminate it.

Photo: Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office

Both fires caused significant air pollution. The total amount of environmental damage exceeded UAH 4.7 million.

In November 2024, the Economic Court of Odesa Region agreed with the inspectorate's arguments and fully satisfied the claim of the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi District Prosecutor's Office to recover damages from Ecology in favor of the state.

The company's landfill burned three times in the summer and spring. Thus, on June 7, 2024, at 13:00, a fire was reported outside the village of Abrikosove, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district. Upon arrival at the scene, the rescuers found out that there was a garbage fire on the territory of an authorized landfill.

On June 1, for the third time in a week, rescuers in Odesa Oblast extinguished a fire at the authorized landfill of the Ecology Production Cooperative in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi District. Rescuers learned about the fire on May 31 at 18:16.

When the firefighters arrived at the scene, they found out that garbage was burning on the territory of the authorized landfill of the Ecology production cooperative.

Earlier, for two days in a row, landfills in the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district of Odesa Oblast burned for a total area of 1,500 square meters.

The first fire occurred on May 24 at 4:09 p.m., when the company received a report of a garbage fire in an open area in the village of Abrikosove.

Кирило Бойко