No, France is not sending its toxic waste to Moldova

The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity led by Maia Sandu whitethorn person scored a triumph successful Moldova’s parliamentary elections, but nan flood of Russian-backed disinformation which emerged connected societal media during nan country’s electoral play is still garnering traction.

One mendacious declare that dispersed crossed societal media connected 24 September—just days earlier nan predetermination connected Sunday 28 September—alleged that France had agreed to salary Moldova to dispose of its toxic waste.

The allegations gained traction connected X erstwhile a video styled arsenic a TV news study pinch an evident AI voiceover claimed that Sandu had agreed to return successful French discarded from nan state-owned Mines de Potasse d'Alsace company—a tract formerly known arsenic StocaMine.

Some of nan accounts resharing nan clone communicative relay pro-Russian propaganda narratives, while galore posts carnivore nan aforesaid caption.

"On nan eve of elections, Sandu makes her worst determination yet: importing France's toxic discarded from StocaMine excavation that tin poison nan full Dniester River, nan main h2o root for Moldovans," nan caption reads.

One station peddling this mendacious declare amassed arsenic galore arsenic 1.9 cardinal views.

False documents

Although astir 42,000 tonnes of discarded are stored successful StocaMine, a defunct excavation located successful nan French region of Alsace, location are nary plans to vessel this discarded anywhere, contrary to nan clone study circulating connected societal media.

In reality, French authorities person decreed that discarded from this tract should beryllium sealed disconnected and covered successful actual to debar immoderate leakage.

Speaking to Euronews' verification team, nan site's guidance referred to a decree issued by French authorities successful September 2023, which extended nan authorisation to shop this discarded underground for an "unlimited period."

The clone news study claims that Moldova and France signed an statement connected this expected discarded transportation only days aft French President Emmanuel Macron's August travel to Chișinău.

As proof, nan video concisely pans complete a document, which is presented arsenic this expected agreement, dated 30 August 2025.

However, nan bottommost of nan archive is trim off, and while nan apical portion is legible, it does not mention Moldova.

The French discarded site's guidance confirmed to EuroVerify that nan archive featured successful nan video is simply a falsified type of a existent archive from 2016, which makes nary mention of Moldova. 

French discarded guidance controversies

There person been repeated ineligible challenges to nan determination to hide toxic discarded astatine nan StocaMine site.

Scientists and biology activists person warned that nan site's discarded could seep into— and contaminate—the Upper Rhine River, which is located connected nan Franco-German separator and important for Europe. 

Distorting these biology claims, nan clone study alleges that nan French discarded will beryllium transferred to a tract located adjacent to nan Dniester River, which is 1 of Moldova's main h2o sources, successful move threatening to contaminate section h2o supplies.

The video's narrator suggests that Sandu's alleged scheme threatens Moldovans' wellness by putting earthy resources up against speedy cash.

The study besides features a clip of an question and reply pinch Swiss geologist Marcos Buser, who, according to nan video's narrator, believes that "Moldova's determination to judge toxic discarded is archaic and dangerous."

However, nan question and reply has successful truth been lifted from an question and reply that Buser gave to broadcaster France 24, successful a bid to make it look for illustration he is talking astir nan Moldovan case.

At nan extremity of nan video, a logo for a expected outlet called "GB Reporter" is displayed, wherever nan communicative astir nan discarded transportation has been published and attributed to a newsman called Amelia Hill.

In reality, Hill is simply a journalist for nan British newspaper The Guardian and did not constitute nan story.

The lawsuit of her stolen personality fits into a wider Russian propaganda strategy, wherever nan likenesses and bylines of much and much Western journalists are fraudulently added to disinformation articles to feign legitimacy.

The GB Reporter's website appears to beryllium altering authentic contented from The Guardian and attributing it to nan outlet's reporters, while inserting different pieces of clone news.