[Mediu] Comunicat de presa: Cazul Kronospan - Nou succes in instanta al societatii civile

[Stefania Simion]

Cluj-Napoca, 14 februarie 2009

Dragi colegi,

Am deosebita placere de a va transmite un comunicat de presa, in romana 
si in engleza intitulat 'Cazul Kronospan - Nou succes in instanta al 
societatii civile'. Se refera la o decizie recenta a instantei brasovene 
privind activitatea Kronospan din orasul Brasov desfasurata cu 
incalcarea legislatiei de mediu.

Speram ca informatiile prezentate vor fi de interes pentru dumneavoastra.

Cu stima,

Stefania Simion
Coordonator Proiecte
Centrul Independent pentru Dezvoltarea
Resurselor de Mediu
E-mail: stefania.simion la centruldemediu.ro
Web: www.sebesfarapoluare.ro
www.centruldemediu.ro


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Versiunea in limba romana
(English version below)

Comunicat de presa
Pentru distribuire imediata

Cazul Kronospan - Nou succes in instanta al societatii civile

Cluj Napoca
14 februarie, 2009

Judecatoria Brasov a respins ieri printr-o sentinta definitiva plangerea 
inaintata de compania Kronospan Romania impotriva sanctiunii aplicate de 
Garda de Mediu Brasov. Prin decizia de ieri, Judecatoria Brasov 
recunoaste legalitatea masurilor de sanctionare luate de Garda de Mediu 
Brasov pe seama Kronospan, pentru construirea unei fabrici de PAL in 
orasul Brasov fara un acord de mediu valabil. Centrul Independent pentru 
Dezvoltarea Resurselor de Mediu (CIDRM) a fost intervenient in interesul 
Garzii de Mediu.
Kronospan Romania este cel mai mare producator de placi PAL din 
Sud-Estul Europei si o filiala a multi-nationalei Kronospan. Aceasta 
companie opereaza in Romania in orasele Sebes, Brasov si Constanta. De-a 
lungul timpului, activitatea Kronospan s-a remarcat prin incalcarea 
grava a legislatiei privind autorizarea de mediu si a lucrarilor de 
constructii, generand deja un impact semnificativ asupra sanatatii 
populatiei si asupra mediului, datorita emisiilor de substante 
periculoase care se folosesc in procesul de product,ie (ex. formaldehida).
Autoritatile competente au sanctionat in repetate randuri ilegalitatile 
comise de Kronospan insa compania prefera sa plateasca amenzi de cele 
mai multe ori simbolice, sa evite consecintele juridice, continuand sa 
polueze mediul si sa afecteze sanatatea oamenilor.
In februarie, 2008, Kronospan a inceput la Brasov lucrari de construire 
pentru o noua fabrica de producere de placi PAL generand profunde 
nemult,umiri si ingrijorari din partea locuitorilor din zona. Nu mai 
put,in de 600 de brasoveni au trimis petitii autoritatilor competente, 
prin care si-au exprimat dezacordul fata de activitatea Kronospan (1).
In mai 2008 CIDRM a sesizat Garda de Mediu Brasov privind faptul ca SC 
Kronospan Bras,ov desfasoara lucrari de constructii in baza unui acord 
de mediu care si-a pierdut valabilitatea, solicitand sa sanctioneze 
compania si sa dispuna oprirea lucrarilor. Ca urmare a sesizarii, Garda 
de Mediu a sanctionat Kronospan cu amenda si oprirea lucrarilor.
Ulterior, Kronospan a atacat in instanta procesul verbal al Garzii de 
Mediu. In octombrie 2008 CIDRM a intervenit in acest proces, in 
interesul autoritatii de mediu (2). Dezbaterile au vizat valabilitatea 
acordului de mediu obtinut de companie in anul 2002 si expirat in 2007, 
inainte de inceperea lucrarilor. Mai mult decat atat, acordul de mediu a 
fost obtinut intr-un moment in care legislatia de mediu din Romania era 
mult mai permisiva si nearmonizata cu directivele europene. In ianuarie 
2008, Agentia de Protectie a Mediului Brasov a pus in vedere Kronospan 
ca pentru obtinerea unui nou acord de mediu, trebuie sa parcurga o noua 
procedura de evaluare a impactului asupra mediului, mult mai stricta, cu 
respectarea directivelor europene relevante. In acest nou context 
legislativ, Kronospan a luat practic decizia de a ignora complet legea, 
incepand deja in februarie 2008 lucrarile de construire.
"Decizia de ieri a instantei arata importanta respectarii legislatiei de 
mediu de catre marii poluatori. In acelasi timp incurajeaza accesul larg 
la justitie pe probleme de mediu al organizatiilor neguvernamentale care 
promoveaza protectia mediului", a declarat Avocat Dr. Andreea Ciurea, 
care a reprezentat interesele CIDRM in acest caz.

NOTE
(1) 
http://www.financiarul.com/articol_9888/firma-kronospan-reclamata-de-brasoveni-la-parlamentul-european.html 

(2) Dosar civil nr.9798/197/2008 al Judecatoriei Bras,ov


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English version

Independent Center for the Development of Environmental Resources
E-mail: office la centruldemediu.ro | WEB: www.centruldemediu.ro
Press Release
For immediate distribution

The 'Kronospan' case – A new court victory secured by civil society

Cluj Napoca
14 February 2009

The Brasov court of justice yesterday rejected via a definitive 
judgement a complaint submitted by Kronospan Romania against the fines 
applied by the Brasov environmental guard. With yesterday’s verdict the 
Brasov court of justice acknowledged the legality of the measures taken 
by the Brasov environmental guard against Kronospan for building a 
composite wood (PAL) industrial plant in the town of Brasov without a 
valid environmental accord. The Independent Centre for the Development 
of Environmental Resources (ICDER) was an intervener in the interest of 
the environmental authority.
Kronospan Romania is the largest producer of wood based panels in 
South-Eastern Europe and a branch of the multi-national company 
Kronospan. In Romania Kronospan is operating in 3 different locations: 
Sebes, Brasov and Constanta. Kronospan’s activities in Sebes and Brasov 
gravely violate applicable legislation for environmental and 
construction permitting, and have caused significant negative impacts on 
the health of local people and the environment, due to the emission of 
toxic substances used for the production of the wood panels (i.e. 
formaldehyde).
In the past Kronospan has been repeatedly fined by the competent 
authorities. However, the company prefers to pay the all-too-often 
symbolic fines to avoid legal consequences while continuing to endanger 
human health and pollute the environment.
In February 2008 Kronospan started constructing a new PAL wood composite 
production plant in the town of Brasov. This move provoked negative 
reactions and worries from the part of the locals directly affected by 
the works. Well over 600 petitions against the new plant were submitted 
by citizens of Brasov to the competent authorities (1).
In May 2008 ICDER officially warned the Brasov environmental guard that 
SC Kronospan Brasov was carrying out construction works based on an 
invalid environmental accord. ICDER requested that the company should be 
fined and be ordered to halt all relevant works. As a result the 
environmental guard sanctioned Kronospan with a fine and ordered for the 
works to be stopped.
Kronospan subsequently took the environmental guard to court; attacking 
the inspection report at the base of the fine. In October 2008, ICDER 
intervened in this court action to the defence of the environmental 
authorities (2). The court debates focused on the validity of the 
environmental accord which the company had obtained in 2002 and which 
expired in 2007; before the inception of the construction works. ICDER 
also argued that the environmental accord had been obtained at a time 
when Romania’s environmental legislation was much more permissive and 
not yet harmonized with EU Directives. In January 2008 the Brasov 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided that in order to obtain a 
new environmental accord Kronospan would need to launch a new and much 
stricter environmental impact assessment procedure to meet all relevant 
EU directives. It is within this context that Kronospan by completely 
ignoring relevant legal provisions and decisions started the 
construction works in February 2008.
"Yesterday's court decision shows the big polluters that it is important 
to enforce environmental legislation. At the same time it is also 
encourages more and wide access to justice for environmental problems 
from the part of the environmental NGOs," declared attorney Dr. Andreea 
Ciurea, who represented ICDER.

Endnotes:
(1)http://www.financiarul.com/articol_9888/firma-kronospan-reclamata-de-brasoveni-la-parlamentul-european.html 

(2) Civil File nr.9798/197/2008 at the Brasov court of justice