#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The Krasnoyarsk region’s minister of ecology Vladimir Chasovitin delivered a report on the environmental situation in the region to the Krasnoyarsk region’s Legislative Assembly deputies. In his speech, the chief regional ecologist paid special attention to the environmental situation in Norilsk. Thanks to Nornickel’s Sulfur Program, the polar city has broken all records in reducing emissions into the atmosphere, and this is just the beginning. Another piece of good news is that the government promises to begin designing a Norilsk eco-technopark for the disposal of solid household waste this year. However, it is not yet clear whether the waste will be recycled or only disposed of.
Fresh breath for Norilsk
Based on Chasovitin’s report, the main achievement of the regional ecology for the year is the reduction of emissions from industrial enterprises into the atmosphere throughout the region. Successes of varying levels are noted in a number of territories, but the leader is undoubtedly Norilsk. The launch of the Sulphur Program’s first line by Nornickel at the Nadezhda metallurgical plant (NMZ) allowed to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 221 thousand tons. According to the plan, Nornickel will achieve a 45 percent reduction in all emissions.
The reduction in the absolute level of SO2 emissions after the program launch at full capacity is planned for 2025-2026. Investments in the project are about 180 billion rubles. By the way, in addition to this, an open air quality control system is planned to be launched in Norilsk.
Waiting for eco-technopark
The second important topic for northerners in the Ministry of Ecology’s report is the solution to the issue of solid municipal waste disposal. According to the ecology minister Vladimir Chasovitin, the estimated construction time for the waste disposal facility is by 2028:
“In accordance with the presidential decree, by 2030 we need to ensure 100 percent sorting of solid municipal waste, no more than 50 percent burial, and 25 percent recycling, re-production, and consumption of waste. Currently, only 4 percent of solid municipal waste is sorted, and 96 percent is buried”.
In order to solve the task set by the president, proposals were developed to create eco-technoparks in Norilsk, Yemelyanovo, Kansk, Minusinsk, Nazarovo, and a number of other districts. The design and construction timeframe for the facilities is 2024–2028.
“The design of the Nazarovo technopark has already begun”, Chasovitin explained. “By the end of the year, we intend to start designing eco-technoparks in Yeniseisk, Boguchany and Norilsk districts, since the land plots have already been approved and transferred to the region’s ownership”.
After the report, Yury Zaharinsky, a deputy from Norilsk, raised an important question: will the planned eco-technopark in Norilsk not only sort and dispose of waste, but also process waste into recyclable materials?
According to Chasovitin, it is still not entirely clear how costly MSW processing can be in the North: “Currently, the construction of an eco-technopark with a recycling function is an additional burden either on the budget or on the residents of the region”.
According to the ecology minister, business representatives should get involved in solving the issue of recycling, and not just MSW disposal. If there are entrepreneurs in the North who are ready to process waste on site, the issue will be resolved. It is unprofitable to transport even sorted waste ready for recycling to the mainland. At the moment, the construction of an eco-technopark with a waste sorting function is planned. However, it turns out that there is no answer to the question “Where to put the sorted and recyclable solid waste fractions?” yet.
Special attention to North!
After Vladimir Chasovitin’s speech, the Legislative Assembly’s deputy speaker Dmitry Sviridov appealed to the regional government with a request to pay special attention to solving the environmental problems of the North:
“2024 was a breakthrough year for Norilsk in terms of ecology. By the end of the year, the project will reach 377 tons of captured sulfur dioxide, this has never happened before. This is a joy for Norilsk residents and a source of pride – our own, domestic advanced technologies and solutions have started working in the region”, the Legislative Assembly’s deputy speaker Dmitry Sviridov emphasized. “But along with this, a number of issues regarding the North remain unresolved. We are talking about water quality, for example, the state of the water intake in Dudinka, and about new, environmentally friendly public transport, and, of course, about the eco-technopark. I believe that we, together with the regional government, should pay special attention to the northern territories”.
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Text: Anzhelika Stepanova, Photo: Nikolay Shchipko
