The OSCE Mélange Project: Eliminating the Risk of Human and Environmental Disasters

In September 2017, a massive explosion erupted at a Ukrainian ammunitions depot near Kalynivka, 270 km west of Kyiv. More than 20,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes. It was a serious incident. But if an OSCE project had not, few years earlier, successfully eliminated the most dangerous chemical stored in the depot, the impact of the explosion could have been much worse and may have caused a dramatic humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.

Until 2014, around 16,000 tonnes of the highly toxic chemical known as “mélange” were stored in Ukraine, a substantial part of it near Kalynivka. Apart from posing a devastating danger to the environment, it is estimated that a spill of one standard 100 cubic-meter container could kill unprotected humans within two kilometres and impact human health and environment within 25 kilometres.

Highly toxic rocket fuel oxidizer Mélange, together with the rocket fuel Samin and TM-185, were used in Soviet times to propel short- and medium-range missiles. Thanks to OSCE support, Ukraine has been rid of these deadly liquid chemicals.

The OSCE-Belarus Mélange Project

Between 2002 and 2014, the OSCE helped Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Ukraine to remove and to neutralize toxic rocket propellant components from their territories. In 2018, Belarus became the latest country to be free of the deadly substances stored in its military arsenals. In response to a request from the Government, the OSCE assisted the country with the disposal of 684 tonnes of mélange, samin and TM-185, concentrated near the town of Kalinkovichi.

“Dangerous substances were removed in a series of round-trips: transporting empty containers to Belarus, loading the chemicals, bringing them to the disposal facilities in the Russian Federation and Sweden under continuous monitoring by OSCE experts, finalizing all the necessary paperwork, and returning the containers to the military base for the next round,” explains Alexander Savelyev, OSCE Project Officer.

We had to be extremely cautious when dealing with the transportation of mélange. Even a slight contact with it could cause severe harm to human health, particularly the respiratory system and eyes.

Vladimir Haruyunyan A contractor involved in the project

The disposal process in itself was a very challenging task. In the Russian factories, mélange was converted into products for civilian use and recycled into industrial and non-military products. Samin and TM-185 were shipped to specialized factories in Sweden and incinerated at high temperatures.

The implementation of the project’s disposal phase was made possible thanks to financial contributions by Hungary, Spain and particularly Sweden, through the Swedish International Development and Co-operation Agency (SIDA), which provided some 98 per cent of the funding.

“We find this project to be crucial for promoting peace and security in the region. Since the OSCE had already built trust with SIDA, and based on previous successful co-operation, Sweden made a decision to financially support the initiative,” said Christina Johannesson, Ambassador of Sweden in Minsk.

The OSCE is grateful to the Government of Sweden for its support. We would also like to thank the Government of Belarus, which helped to reduce costs by providing and assembling a pipeline network, pumping equipment and covering export fees, taxes and the costs of mélange transportation within the Belarus territory.

Marcel Pesko Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre

“Those chemical substances were a threat to the environment and the population. Belarus did not have the technical capability to accomplish the task on its own. We met with huge support, professionalism and a constructive attitude in Minsk, which were crucial in enabling us to realize the project. Belarus is now one of the European leaders in this area and can share its experience with other countries,” stressed Marcel Pesko, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

“The disposal of all surplus stocks of mélange and samin in line with the OSCE Document on Stockpiles of Convention Ammunition is the Belarus’ contribution to the security, including its environmental component, of the Eastern European region,” added Andrei Lozovik, Deputy Head of the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the OSCE.

Safer communities

The removal of mélange not only contributed significantly to the safety and security of the Belarus population, but also left a major impact on the local communities. With the OSCE project completed, parents no longer have to fear that their children’s health will be harmed by being exposed to this dangerous chemical.

When the project was finalized, the Belarus Ministry of Defence recovered the empty storage containers and disposed of them. The military site was closed; the land was re-cultivated and handed over to the local authorities, to be used for economic goals.

Since the successful completion of the project in Belarus, the Government of Kyrgyzstan has made a request for assistance with the removal of the mélange stored on its territory. The OSCE has responded by establishing a legal framework and raising funds, preparing to make one more participating State free of this hazardous substance.

The OSCE-Belarus mélange project is part of the larger OSCE “Regional Programme on Liquid Rocket Fuel Components Disposal”. The Programme is implemented by the FSC Support Section of the Conflict Prevention Centre in the OSCE Secretariat. The OSCE has been assisting participating States with the safe disposal of mélange since 2002.