Octavian Berceanu

A leading environmental activist in Romania, Octavian Berceanu, told BIRN on Friday that Romanian authorities do not want to collect accurate data on the amount of air pollution in the country because sanctions would be triggered. 

Romania is a green oasis on the world's air pollution map and is doing very well compared to other countries in the region, chief commissioner of the National Environmental Guard, Octavian Berceanu, said on Friday. Berceanu announced that a Regulation will be developed in the next period on the location of air quality sensors for greater data accuracy.

Romanian authorities on Thursday launched a major operation against syndicates illegally collecting, transporting, reusing and disposing of metal waste, targeting the mainly Roma village of Sarulesti in Calarasi County, southeastern Romania.

Organized crime structures are putting pressure on Romanian customs to introduce ever increasing amounts of waste into the country, given that Europe has run out of waste storage capacity and China has closed its gates in this regard, general commissioner of the National Environmental Guard (GNM) Octavian Berceanu declared on Thursday in Craiova.