The final protective barriers installed on the Dniester River in response to an oil pollution incident caused by the Russian Federation’s attack on the Novodnistrovsk Hydropower Plant in Ukraine were dismantled this week, TRIBUNA reports.

After nearly five months of response efforts, emergency teams are no longer permanently deployed in the field. The announcement was made by Minister of Environment Gheorghe Hajder during a visit to Arionești, where the largest protection system—consisting of seven absorbent barriers—had been installed.

During the operation, approximately 20,000 meters of absorbent boom, more than 50 tonnes of biodegradable solid and liquid sorbents, as well as hundreds of units of specialized machinery and equipment, were used. It was an unprecedented intervention to protect the Dniester River, the main source of drinking water for around 80% of the population of the Republic of Moldova.

At the same time, the Republic of Moldova is now better prepared to respond rapidly in the event of future surface water pollution. The responsible institutions have stocks of intervention equipment and materials at their disposal.

These include containment and absorbent booms, oil spill absorbents, pumps, tanks for collecting and storing pollutants, and personal protective equipment for response teams, including protective suits, masks, and gloves. The stockpiles also include biodegradable absorbent materials and other products required to contain and recover pollutants.

The equipment is stored in two warehouses located in the north and the center of the country, allowing for rapid deployment depending on the location and scale of any future emergency.

The experience gained over the past months has also strengthened the authorities’ emergency response capacity. According to the Minister of Environment, the Republic of Moldova now has both the necessary equipment and specialists with direct experience in carrying out large-scale operations to protect water resources.

“The fact that we have dismantled the last barriers on the Dniester does not mean that our preparations are over. On the contrary, one of the key lessons of this crisis is that we must be prepared before an emergency occurs. Today we have the equipment, materials, and specialists that can be mobilized quickly to protect our waters and the environment,” the minister said.

The Ministry of Environment will continue monitoring the country’s water resources and maintaining its emergency response capacity to ensure that, should a new environmental risk arise, the authorities can respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner.