The story of the regular environmental and social protests began on August 17, 2012, when the government of the Republic of Bashkortostan signed with Austrian Kronospan the investment agreement on construction of the wood based panels plant.
According to the environmentalists and civic activists, the plant’s construction violates the law, and in particular, the state environmental review and assessment of the impact on the environment has not been carried.
The activists are concerned about the emissions of formaldehyde and wood dust, which will inevitably accompany a technological process at the enterprise.
According to Greenpeace Russia, the activity of Kronospan in other countries, in particular in Romania (in cities Sebes and Brasov), is also accompanied by active civil protests, fines for environmental pollution and lack of environmental expertise.