Ekotrans is seeking to secure the land on which the plant is situated

The ‘Ekotrans’ plant in Mykolaiv. Photo: the company’s official website

The Ecotrans oil plant, whose emissions have been the subject of complaints from Mykolaiv residents for years, is asking the city council to legalise its use of the land on which the plant stands.

Councillors considered the relevant issues at a meeting of the Mykolaiv City Council’s land commission on 18 March, reports NikVesti.

Several draft decisions are under discussion: the company wishes to formalise the boundaries of land plots on Proektna Street, lease land for part of its infrastructure (specifically for the wagon unloading point and the bucket elevator tower with a flyover), and establish an easement for part of another plot. In effect, this is to legalise the land under the existing production facility.

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During the meeting, the company’s director, Taras Pavliuk, stated that the company has been trying to formalise the land for a long time.

«We submitted applications for four plots of land to lease them and pay officially, but we haven’t received a single response,» he said.

According to him, the company finds itself in a situation where the city is demanding that the land be formalised, but the process itself is effectively at a standstill. At the same time, as the company claims, they are already paying rent even without formalised contracts.

«I would like to add: throughout this entire period, we have been paying rent for the land plots. Our chief accountant had to spend half a month explaining to the tax authorities that we paid 558,000 hryvnias for 2025. These funds cover precisely those plots I have already mentioned. The tax office kept asking: «Why aren’t you formalising this officially?» We still haven’t received a single answer and don’t understand how to proceed. It feels as though we’re up against a brick wall,» added Taras Pavliuk.

At the same time, the management of Ekotrans tried to convince the councillors that the company had changed and now operates to different standards than before.

According to Taras Pavliuk, in recent years the company has invested in modernisation and environmental measures. In particular, two bag filters were installed, flue gas ducts were replaced, and a systematic emissions monitoring system was introduced.

He also drew attention to changes in the ownership structure: in January 2026, the Eridon group of companies bought out the share in the authorised capital, becoming the 100% beneficiary, whilst the PAEK group no longer has any connection to the company.

According to Taras Pavliuk, the company holds an emissions permit issued in February 2025 by the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, valid until 2035, as well as an environmental impact assessment report dated 12 May 2023. Under these documents, the company carries out quarterly monitoring, which includes measurements of air quality, noise and other indicators, and reports to the relevant authorities. Overall, expenditure on environmental measures and taxes, he says, exceeds 2 million per year.

«As for environmental protection, we purchased two bag filters in 2021, which were commissioned in 2023, and completely replaced the flue gas ducts leading to the filters. Quarterly emissions monitoring is carried out by the company ‘Limit Plus’, and the results are sent to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture and to the Zavodska administration. «We spend over 2 million hryvnias a year on environmental protection, carry out quarterly monitoring and hold all the necessary permits... Measurements are taken quarterly, covering all emissions, including dust, nitrogen compounds, oxides and noise,» he said.

Taras Pavliuk also emphasised that the company has retained jobs — around 300 people are currently employed there, although the company is facing difficulties due to disruptions at the ports to which its products are exported, leading to forced production stoppages.

Committee Chair Olena Nesterenko confirmed that the company had provided documents demonstrating compliance with legal requirements, but reminded the committee that there had previously been numerous complaints against Ekotrans, particularly regarding environmental violations and complaints from residents. That is why, she said, MPs still have questions that have accumulated over the previous years of the company’s operations.

She explained that the company had been invited to the committee to brief MPs in detail on the current situation, the permits granted and the results of monitoring.

«There were a great many appeals from citizens and questions regarding compliance with environmental legislation. Therefore, these issues were examined further,» said Olena Nesterenko.

Despite the company’s explanations, the committee did not support any of the draft resolutions — there were not enough votes in favour.

«5 in favour, 1 abstention. The decision was not adopted,» the results of the vote were announced.

Following this, the councillors adopted another decision — to refer all matters to the city council session for consideration without a recommendation from the relevant committee. This proposal was supported.

Representatives of the company were also invited to speak directly at the session to explain their position to the entire council.

It should be noted that residents of the Namyv neighbourhood and other parts of the Zavodskyi district have repeatedly complained about the operations of the Ekotrans oil plant due to emissions and noise.

In 2020, searches were carried out at the plant as part of an investigation, and earlier, environmentalists had identified violations in the operation of the Ekotrans oil plant. Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych also spoke out against the plant’s activities.

It was reported that near the Ekotrans plant in Mykolaiv, specialists from the State Environmental Inspection recorded the discharge of an unknown liquid that was contaminating the soil. The amount of damage amounted to almost 315,000.

The issue of air pollution caused by the Ekotrans plant was raised as far back as 2010. At that time, the Mykolaiv City Council took legal action against the oil extraction plant.

In March 2011, the State Environmental Protection Agency established that the company was emitting pollutants into the atmosphere in excess of permitted levels and ordered the plant to cease operations.

Vitalii Kim, Head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, said that the management of the Ekotrans oil plant, which had been the subject of regular complaints from residents of Namyv, had decided to install filters and carry out noise insulation work.