Housing Committee Explains Why Salt Is Found Without Containers

Andrei Dzhalalov, head of the technical department of the Housing Committee of St. Petersburg, explained that his statement about theft of anti-icing material containers did not reflect the essence of his report to the Legislative Assembly. According to him, the words were presented without context.

Dzhalalov explained why salt can be found in yard areas outside special containers. «One possible reason is container breakdown, resulting in material spillage. This is a working situation that occurs periodically,» the official noted.

Speaking about thefts, he clarified: «In rare cases theft occurs, despite the fact that, as a rule, all containers for operational salt reserves have accounting identification numbers. There are not many such cases, but they do happen.»

In addition, there is a planned practice of temporary placement of reagents on the ground. Materials are specifically unloaded in yards for subsequent loading into cleaning equipment, which is sometimes dictated by logistics considerations.

Currently, containers for operational salt reserves are being installed by housing agencies on a systematic basis. «They are installed on intra-block territories throughout the district in accordance with an approved scheme, usually near container sites, to ensure prompt treatment of potentially hazardous areas by manual labor workers,» emphasized Andrei Dzhalalov.