KCM, Bulgaria's largest lead and zinc smelter, will be idled until it cleans up production in line with its integrated pollution prevention and control permit if it spews gas more than twice per month starting September.

This was announced in a letter by Bulgaria’s deputy environment minister Evdokia Maneva sent to Kardjali governor Ivanka Taushanova and the KCM management, state news agency BTA reported on Thursday.

“If they allow more than two instances of pollution, we’re going to shut them down and this persistent issue will be resolved through their planned new lead installation,” Maneva told Dnevnik.

She added that although it has deployed sulphur dioxide removal equipment at the site, the smelter has exceeded noxious emissions allowances more than three times per month so far in 2010.

The cap on annual pollution levels at a single point is laid down in the European Commission’s Large Combustion Plant Directive. A failure to comply with the restriction could lead to another infringement procedure against Bulgaria, according to Maneva.

KCM could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, Maneva said she does not expect the Commission will give the green light for a requested extension of the lifetime of electricity and briquette plant Brikel until sulphur dioxide removal equipment is installed at the site. “We’ve used up all our arguments to the Commission, including the jobs Brikel provides, and we cannot offer a sensible answer as to why we continue its operations,” she said.