The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) has completed an injunction, enabling the owner of a shipment of explosive fertilizer, currently stuck at the DBT Terminal in Muuga harbor, to apply for an exemption from the Financial Intelligence Unit, which would allow its removal.

Around 12,000 tonnes of explosive ammonium nitrate fertilizer, belonging to Russian chemical company Acron, have been stuck at the DBT Terminal in Muuga harbor for several months.

The fertilizer is owned by a Russian company, which due to sanctions imposed as a result of Russia's war on Ukraine, is not allowed to sell its goods Estonia. Therefore, the Estonian authorities have been working to find a solution, which enables the fertilizer to be moved, without contravening EU regulations.

Õnne Mets, head of communications at the Financial Intelligence Unit, told ERR, that the process has now reached the stage, where the TTJA has issued an injunction to the company, which is now preparing an application to the FIU in order to obtain an exemption.

"The FIU will then assess whether the information received complies with the terms required for exemptions laid out in the regulations established by the Council of the European Union. This will determine the next steps in the process," Mets said.

The European Union allows for exemptions to be requested in cases where it is required to comply with national administrative or judicial decisions, but also when deemed necessary to prevent or avoid threats to the environment or to human life and health.

"To apply for an exemption, a decision is needed from the administrative body, in this case, the TTJA, to send an injunction to the company requiring it to carry out a risk assessment on the stored chemicals in order to dispose of them and ensure safety," explained Aap Andreas Rebas, communications adviser at the TTJA.

Rebas added, that preparing an application for an exemption takes time, as it first requires arrangements to made for all the goods.

However, according to Rebas, the situation with the fertilizer is under control. The fertilizer is stored in a dome-shaped warehouse, which is well-suited to holding hazardous chemicals of this nature, ensuring that it cannot come into contact with the external environment or other substances. Storage conditions in the warehouse are also monitored daily.

"Both the TTJA and the emergency services are in close contact with the (owning) company to monitor the situation and ensure safety. The quantity of the chemicals currently in Muuga harbor is significantly lower than the amounts authorized by the company's handling permits, and processes to ensure safe handling of the chemicals are in place," Rebas said.

At this stage, none of the parties involved in the process have revealed what methods will be employed to remove the fertilizer from storage. Sirle Arro, head of the marketing and communications department at Tallinn Port, which owns the facility at Muuga harbor, said the fertilizer is owned by DBT, and that only the company itself can comment on how it plans to conduct the removal as well as any potential risks involved.

DBT, however, has so far declined to make any comments on the future fate of the fertilizer. A representative of the terminal, Ago Tiiman, told ERR that, as the company is currently under sanctions, they have nothing to say about the issue at this point in time.

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