Romanian officials look to Wales for regeneration secrets

Published: 2009-09-03

Romanian government officials will arrive in Wales on Sunday (06 September 2009) for a week-long tour of the country’s industrial regeneration sites.

Wales is considered a leader in the field after successfully reforming sites affected by mining, chemicals, petroleum and steel and other heavy industry.

Romania’s Soviet era industry has left it with similar challenges and the officials are keen to learn best practice models from Welsh experts.

The party of 20 Romanians will meet Welsh Assembly Government and Environment Agency specialists and visit a selection of former industrial sites across South Wales, to discuss technical and land management topics with landowners and developers.

They will be looking to pick up advice on relevant matters, such as which technologies can be deployed to rehabilitate contaminated sites.

The trip has been organised by the UK’s largest contaminated land consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Romanian Institute of Studies for Power Engineering (ISPE). Parsons Brinckerhoff and ISPE are currently advising the Romanian government on its national contaminated land strategy, which stands to make a big impact on sites heavily polluted by Soviet era industry, under an EU funded PHARE project.

Team leader Adrian Dolecki, of Parsons Brinckerhoff, said: “Wales is rightly considered a European leader in cleaning up land polluted by industries like mining and steel production. The former Welsh Development Agency, now part of the Welsh Assembly Government, did a fantastic job in reclaiming and redeveloping areas in Wales. Romania is going through almost exactly the same process and is looking to leaders in the field for help and advice.”

Ends

Note to Editors:

The Department for the Economy and Transport at the Welsh Assembly Government is a leading member of the CLA:IRE contaminated land organisation and participates in a number of national and international knowledge exchange groups.

The Romanian delegation will visit: BP’s Llandarcy petroleum complex, Swansea Docks regeneration site, steelworks at Ebbw Vale and Llanwern Newport, Cardiff Bay (taking in the Ikea gas works, Penarth Haven Landfill, Asda Ferry Road landfill, Rocco Forte Remediation of Polychlorinated biphenyl and asbestos areas)

The official Romanian party comprises:

Cllr Adina Ionescu	Environment Ministry, Dangerous Substances and Wastes Management Division – Soil, Underground and Dangerous Substances Dpt.
Head of Dpt. Simona Ghiţă	Environment Ministry, Dangerous Substances and Wastes Management Division – Waste Management Dpt.
Cllr Nae Ion Muşetoiu	Environment Ministry, Dangerous Substances and Wastes Management Division – Wastes Management Dpt.
Vice President Maria Elena Teodorescu	National Agency for Environmental Protection
Teodor Şileam (Head Office)	National Agency for Environmental Protection - Soil, Underground Protection Office
Head of Dpt. Carmen Camelia Maria Călătan	National Agency for Environmental Protection – Horizontal Legislation Dpt.
Head of Dpt. Adriana Amarandei	National Agency for Environmental Protection – Wastes Dpt.
Coordinative Director Iulian Movilă	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Bacău
Head of IPM Dpt. Fica Boldea	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Galaţi
Head of IPM Dpt. Elena Pană	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Piteşti
Cllr Ana Lavinia Iancu	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Craiova
Coordinative Director Gabriela Lambrino	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Timişoara
Cllr Paul Beldean	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Cluj-Napoca
Coordinative Director Daniela Maria Stoica	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Sibiu
Cllr Daniela Erscoi	Regional Agency for Environmental Protection Bucureşti
Project Manager Adela Veronica Nica	Environment Ministry, DGMIS - Structural Funds Division – Monitoring-Reporting Dpt.
Cllr Valeria Schifirneţ Şuţu	Environment Ministry, DGMIS - Structural Funds Division – Technical Appraisal Dpt.
Cllr Maria Monica Şerban	Environment Ministry, DGMIS – Programming-Assessment Division – Project Assesment Dpt.
Cllr Francisca Giurgi	Environment Ministry, DGMIS – Structural Mechanisms Financial Control Division - Financial Appraisal Dpt.
Mihaela Gheorghiu (Head Office)	Environment Ministry, DGMIS - Payments Division – Budget and Forecasting Office

Parsons Brinckerhoff is a global leader in developing and operating infrastructure around the world, with 13,000 employees dedicated to meeting the needs of clients and communities across Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and the Australia-Pacific region. Clients come to PB for a wide range of advice, skills and resources in strategic consulting, programme management, planning, engineering, construction management and operations. For over a century PB has earned a distinguished reputation for delivering world-class infrastructure and its technical expertise in transportation, power, community development, water and the environment. 

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