1/6 th of Russia ecologically unsafe: Audit Chamber

MOSCOW: Almost one-sixth of Russia's territory with a population of over 60 million is ecologically unsafe, the collegium of Russia's Audit Chamber has pointed.

Most ecological parameters indicated growing harmful effects on the environment. There is a distinct trend towards poorer biological diversity and global warming-related climate change, the collegium said in a statement.

The fresh water availability situation remains extremely unfavourable, first and foremost, due to the dumping of wastes and pollutants into the surface bodies of water, it added.

According to the auditing in some regions anthropogenic pressures have long exceeded the tolerance limits and reached a critical situation wherein landscapes undergo considerable change, natural resources are exhausted or lost altogether, and the environment of the local population deteriorates.

The chamber also pointed out that though Russia produces an annual amount of up to 75 million tonnes of hazardous wastes, but only 18 per cent of it is recycled and disposed of properly.

The area of soil contaminated with heavy metals and fluoride has also grown to 3.6 million hectares, and the area of highly-contaminated soil totals 253,000 hectares,chamber said.

In order to improve the situation the chamber suggested that measures to improve technological processes with the aim to create waste-free know-hows must be implemented.

Prevention of emissions into the atmosphere and water are also important, it further added.