After a large-scale environmental scandal earlier this year, Grigeo Klaipėda, a paper manufacturer based in Lithuania’s port city, will be forced to suspend operations in mid-May, the CEO has confirmed to BNS.
In January, the company was found to have been releasing untreated wastewater into the Curonian Lagoon, next to the UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit, with pollution thought to have reached as far as Latvia.
Read more: Grigeo polluted Curonian Lagoon 'intentionally and every night’, prosecutors believe
Klaipėdos Vanduo (Klaipėda Water), which had been treating Grigeo Klaipėda’s wastewater since January, announced earlier that it planned to sever its contract with the company for failing to comply with contractual terms and conditions.
Tomas Eikinas, Grigeo Klaipėda CEO, told BNS that the company would suspend operations until it addressed the issue of wastewater treatment.
“Until this issue is addressed, the company will suspend operations and we will announce a downtime. However, we will take all necessary measures to retain jobs and resume operations as soon as possible,” he said.
Gintaras Neniškis, director of administration at Klaipėda municipality, said Klaipėdos Vanduo could not put its treatment facilities at risk.
“The biggest priority, however, is to prevent risks to the treatment facilities of Klaipėdos Vanduo and the risk of disruptions in their operations,” said Neniškis.
“[Klaipėda] cannot afford any risk to the condition of those treatment installations, their quality or functioning,” he added.
Read more: Lithuania ups environmental controls: surprise inspections and closures of polluting businesses
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