Moldovan government decided to strengthen environmental pollution legislation

Chisinau, Nov. 13 /MOLDPRES/- Private people and economic agents who damage the environment through their activities will be obliged to repair the damage and get directly involved in the ecological restoration. A draft law on the matter was approved by the cabinet today, the government's communication department has reported.

The bill aims to prevent and restore damage to the air, water or soil based on the "polluter pays" principle. This will reduce negative effects on the environment and mitigate climate change. It will also help minimize negative impacts on human health and raise awareness of the seriousness of environmental damage.

The Methodology for calculating environmental damage and the Regulation on establishment and application of forms of financial guarantee will be worked out later.

According to the Environment Ministry, environmental pollution has reached worrying proportions in Moldova in recent years. Data of the National Agency for Public Health show that air pollution is the cause of more than 11% of deaths.