Lithuanian Environment Minister Pledges Stricter Controls on 'Homanit' Factory Amid Resident Complaints

Lithuania's Environment Minister, I. Andriulaitytė, has committed to implementing more frequent and prompt inspections of the "Homanit" factory following persistent complaints from local residents. The ministry will also seek solutions to improve institutional oversight, even in the absence of citizen complaints. Andriulaitytė stated that the ministry understands the community's concerns and is actively seeking solutions. "We are on the residents' side," she affirmed, acknowledging the problem and promising stricter controls by subordinate institutions, including the Environmental Protection Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. These intensified checks aim to ensure principled inspections and documentation of all violations at the high-risk facility. The Ministry of Environment will also collaborate with the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Center to tighten monitoring, which the minister believes is crucial for managing environmental deviations and protecting residents' interests. A planned meeting intended to bring all parties together, including "Homanit Lietuva" management, failed to materialize as the company's leaders did not attend. The Pagiriai community presented their issues and proposals during the meeting, expressing concerns about pollution and noise emanating from the factory, as well as inadequate involvement from regulatory bodies. The community has also submitted specific demands that the ministry will evaluate. The minister expressed strong disapproval of "Homanit Lietuva's" decision to skip the meeting, calling the situation critical. She emphasized that living with excessive noise and unpleasant odors is difficult and that the goal was to analyze the situation and find mutually agreeable solutions. The minister stated that the community's proposals would be analyzed. The situation in Pagiriai is described as critical due to ongoing complaints about noise and strong odors, with residents reporting disturbances even at night.

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We are on the residents' side. We perfectly understand that it is not very pleasant to live with loud noise and bad smells.