The KURUM industrial waste scandal is entering an even more serious phase, as sources close to the investigation tell Ekofin that the results of laboratory analysis of the seized samples do not simply classify them as toxic, but as harmful and potentially carcinogenic to human health. According to these sources, the concentrations of hazardous substances have resulted significantly above the permitted norms, shifting the issue from an administrative environmental problem to a real risk to public health and environmental safety.
The samples, which were analyzed in a laboratory abroad, raised the alarm that the waste contained elements directly linked to serious health risks, including long-term exposure to carcinogenic substances. It was these results, according to sources, that caused strong institutional tensions and attempts to avoid responsibility, turning the file into a “hot issue” that no one wanted to keep.
Under these conditions, it is expected that the criminal investigations will not only focus on the company's activities, but also on the role of state institutions that were tasked with monitoring and controlling hazardous waste. Sources for Ekofin indicate that the prosecution's investigation is expected to include employees and officials of KURUM, as well as officials of the National Environment Agency, who are suspected of having collaborated with the company to hide the waste scandal for months and to embezzle official documentation in exchange for illegal benefits.
The suspicions relate to the way the waste was classified, the transport and treatment permits, as well as the accompanying documents that enabled its movement outside Albanian territory. According to sources, there are indications that some of the documentation was changed or adapted to avoid labeling the waste as hazardous, paving the way for its export.
The scandal gained public prominence after the detention of two ships departing from the port of Durres to Thailand, which were turned back by foreign authorities due to suspicions that hazardous waste was on board. This episode highlighted not only the lack of effective control, but also a whole chain of unclear responsibilities between private companies and state institutions.
During the coming week, according to sources, strong developments are expected regarding the Kurum investigation file and the role of the private company in the waste scandal, as well as the implication of senior KTA officials in this affair. /ekofin.al/
