Svetlahorsk Pulp And Cardboard Mill Became Curse For Lukashists

The authorities lost control over the enterprise.

In recent days, OJSC Svetlahorsk Pulp And Cardboard Mill (Svetlahorsk PCM) has found itself at the center of a scandal after a serious incident that occurred at the regeneration site in the evaporator plant shop. The flash of the gas-air mixture without subsequent combustion damaged the metal lining of three tanks, and one of them was damaged. At the same time, neighbouring buildings suffered significant damage as a result of the collapse of the building. This accident was just one of many problems that the employees of the enterprise and the citizens of Svetlahorsk faced.

Unfortunately, this is not the first such accident at this enterprise. The tragic events that took place at the plant in 2020 caused the death of several people. On July 30, an accident occurred at the bleached pulp plant, as a result of which two workers were seriously injured, and one of them, unfortunately, died. Another terrible accident took place on October 19 of the same year, when an explosion and fire at a container with tall oil claimed the life of a welder who was not far from the explosion.

However, these cases are only a small part of all the problems that the Svetlahorsk PCM plant has faced in recent years. The plant has been the subject of numerous complaints by residents concerning harmful emissions and unpleasant odours due to its activities since 2017. People suffered from headaches, nosebleeds and allergic reactions, attributing them to the environmental pollution created by the plant.

Even before the 2020 protests, I got to know the employees of the plant in Minsk. Naturally, as a person who also works at a chemical plant, I was interested in the specifics of working at the Svetlogorsk PCM. Workers who were at work every day spoke about the systematic violation of technological rules and safety regulations. They shared their fears about the low qualification of the management, the lack of education and training. I was not really surprised: their words confirmed serious problems with management and control at the plant.

It is important to note that at the moment the plant employs about three thousand people who constantly face risks to their health and life. At the same time, the plant's debts amount to a shocking BYR 2.3. The Svetlahorsk Pulp And Cardboard Mill, originally created as an industrial enterprise, which, according to the Lukashists, should bring fabulous profits, has turned into a source of problems and dangers. In recent years, the plant, like a black hole, only absorbs huge financial resources. The construction took a little more than $850 million. At the same time, most of the amount, $654 million, was received as a loan from China. However, in 2019, Chinese investors withdrew their support for the project, leaving the plant completely state-owned.

I do not expect that the investigation of the incident will be fair. Someone will pay off, and someone will just get off with a fine. Responsibility for negative consequences and incidents lies on the shoulders of the authorities and unqualified managers who failed to ensure proper control and proper management of the plant. And the reasons for this are the lack of qualified management and insufficient investment in compliance with safety and environmental standards, which led to a series of tragic events and a threat to the health and life of workers and the local residents.

Artsiom Chernikau, especially for the Basta Telegram channel