Despite a rather sharp decline in production and the adoption of a large number of protective measures, environmental problems in Russia, especially in the industrial regions of the country, remain at a critically high level. And often they are compounded not only by waste accumulated over decades and polluting the natural environment, but also by some weakening of state control. Indeed, in recent years, support for environmental activities by authorities has significantly decreased.
The undisputed leader in whose territory many of Russia's environmental problems are concentrated is the Urals. In this region, there are a huge number of enterprises of heavy, chemical industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and mechanical engineering. And most of these industry monsters use long-obsolete technologies in production that cause irreparable damage to the environment.
Russia's environmental problems begin with a global disaster - severe air pollution. Various harmful wastes in places exceed the permissible norm by tens of times. Only stationary sources of industry provide 20% of the total air pollution. Reftinskaya GRES alone annually releases about 300,000 tons of various harmful impurities into the atmosphere. Oil refineries and oil producers of Ufa are not far behind it.
Thanks to such industries, the ecology of the region is recognized as unsuccessful for people to live. Residents gradually leave the city, taking care of their well-being. Thousands of hectares of fertile land are reserved for landfills and landfills for the storage of substances that pose a serious threat to nature. The situation is aggravated by the fact that enterprises that dispose of these wastes cannot sufficiently ensure their recycling.
Russia's environmental problems include unnaturally high soil pollution, especially in the Urals region. The level of heavy metals in the land located on the territory of enterprises, sometimes hundreds of times higher than the maximum permissible standards. Due to improper mining, the landscapes of the region have radically changed, many mountains and plains have turned into quarries and pits.
Russia's environmental problems also include pollution of water basins. Various impurities of heavy metals and residues of petroleum products fall into the sources of drinking water. At the same time, only a small part of local water supply systems can carry out a full cycle of purification of water used by people.
Ecological problems also include a rather serious danger not only for the environment, but also for people. Chemical weapons stored in the Kurgan region and Udmurtia are a time bomb. Metal ammunition filled with a potent substance is gradually corroded. Every day, the risk of leakage of unsafe impurities increases.
Radiation pollution of the environment is also included in the environmental problems of Russia. After the explosion of radioactive waste containers that occurred in 1957, more than 500,000 residents of the Chelyabinsk region were exposed to radiation. And still this territory is a repository of various wastes. Karachay Lake and the Techa River were completely excluded from the water supply system due to severe water pollution.
Also, due to the global modification of the soil and water basins, the pollution of its underground waters has also entered the ecological problems of the Urals. Heavy metals, radioactive elements and nitrogen compounds easily find their way to aquifers. Numerous faults in contaminated layers of the earth are good “helpers” in this matter.
To solve environmental problems, it is necessary to pay great attention to the creation of nature reserves, wildlife reserves, national parks and green areas. It is necessary to investigate the essence of each problem and look for new ways to solve them. Everyone should make a contribution to the common cause. After all, the environmental problems of a particular region cannot be solved on their own, only by common efforts can these troubles be moved from a dead point.