Odesa, 17 July 2025 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with funding from the Government of Sweden, has delivered an advanced asbestos fibre detection system to the regional office of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine in Odesa. 

The system includes a Leica DM750P polarisation microscope, a fully equipped workstation, related accessories, and necessary consumables.

The equipment was procured under the Environmental Damage Assessment project (EDA) project, which aims to enhance Ukraine’s capacity to assess and respond to environmental damage caused by war.

As a result of the war, vast areas of Ukraine have suffered heavy infrastructure damage. One of the most serious environmental risks stemming from this destruction is the release into the air, water, and soil of toxic, carcinogenic asbestos fibres from damaged or demolished buildings.

Ihor Zubovych, Acting Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine,said the new equipment would significantly enhance the inspectorate’s asbestos detection capacities. 

“It allows us to detect asbestos in samples of air, dust, and construction materials, and to respond more effectively to related environmental threats,” Zubovych said.

“As Ukraine faces systemic environmental damage due to the war, international support like this is crucial for our work. We’re sincerely grateful to UNDP and the Government of Sweden for their continued assistance.”

Background:

The Environmental Damage Assessment project, supported by the Government of Sweden and implemented by UNDP, aims to strengthen Ukrainian authorities’ ability to monitor, document, and respond to environmental damage. It provides targeted support to key institutions like the State Environmental Inspectorate and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, helping them develop crucial legislation, technical infrastructure, and data collection methods.

Under the same initiative, Sweden and UNDP had already supplied Ukraine with vital monitoring consumables for assessing water pollution in the Seim and Desna rivers. This project also equipped regional units of the State Environmental Inspectorate with chemical reagents and laboratory materials, significantly enhancing their capacity to monitor and respond to environmental threats in the Black Sea region.

Media enquiries:

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org