Toxic waste scandal, Albchrome administrator steps down

The outbreak of a serious environmental scandal at the Ferrochrome Plant in Elbasan has triggered changes in the management structure of the company “Albchrome.”

Kapitali has learned that the company’s chief administrator, Teuta Üstündağ, has officially left her post, ending her relationship with the company on Friday.

Üstündağ had been the most powerful person at Albchrome since September last year, when she was appointed the company’s first administrator. However, following the outbreak of the waste scandal, around two months ago the Turkish Yildirim Group appointed a new co-administrator at Albchrome, Turkish national Selim Sevgen, who is now the company’s de facto head.

Üstündağ’s departure comes precisely as a recent report by the National Environment Agency (AKM) and IKMT documented the situation at the plant as an “environmental catastrophe.”

According to the official findings, the metallurgical operator illegally stored hundreds of tons of toxic and poisonous waste in the open air, posing a serious risk to the health of local residents.

This escalation comes just three days after the Elbasan Prosecutor’s Office intervened by ordering the immediate seizure of the hazardous waste and opening a wide-ranging criminal investigation.

On-site inspections uncovered more than 300 tons of harmful industrial dust collected from chimney filters, which had been piled up in the open air without any safety measures or protection against atmospheric agents.

Amid this worsening situation, Teuta Üstündağ, who was in charge of managing the company during the period when the toxic waste scandal was uncovered, has left her post, handing over the reins to Turkish national Sevgen.

Prosecutors are continuing their inquiries to determine the extent of the former executives’ criminal responsibility, and it is not known whether these latest management changes were made to avoid accountability before the law.