MOSCOW (AP) — Activists say Russian police have detained several environmentalists who were protesting against the construction of a waste dump in the country's northwest.

Nearly 100 protesters on Tuesday blocked the entrance to the construction site and were eventually pushed out by the police and private security in a tense confrontation. Independent website monitoring rights issues OVD-Info said Tuesday that nine people have been detained.

The government project to build the waste plant, which is expected to receive trash from Moscow, sparked major rallies throughout Russia's northwest. Several dozen activists have camped out near the railroad station of Shiyes where the plant is supposed to be built.

The construction work was briefly halted last month after President Vladimir Putin urged local authorities to reevaluate the project.