Albania ships 160 tons of napalm components for destruction in France

TIRANA, Dec. 7 – Albania shipped 160 tons of napalm components for final disposal in France in the latest effort to destroy its stockpile of deadly chemicals inherited from the Communist area.
The ceremony marking the new milestone in destroying hundreds of tons of hazardous chemicals was held in the coastal city of Durres. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and OSCE Presence to Albania.
Ministry officials said that the shipment of aluminum oxide produced in country and xylenol imported from China will be followed by the destruction of 150 ton of other chemicals, stored in the army base of Qafà«-Mollà« near the capital Tirana. The process of destroying these chemicals will be completed in 2017.
Under the rule of Enver Hoxha, Albania became a warehouse of deadly ammunition and chemicals bought from Russia and China, which the Communist government wanted to use in case of a potential Western invasion.
OSCE Presence in Albania has been supporting the Albanian Army to get rid of these ammunitions since 2008. So far 300 300 tons of toxic military chemicals from that era have been destroyed.
Last year, OSCE helped the army to destroy 116 tons of hazardous chemicals and “dispose of 60 tons of a toxic rocket fuel component and 120 tons of dichloromethane. OSCE also provided equipment for the destruction of surplus ammunition,” according to statement issued by the Ministry.