Meghan Hodges
Norilsk, a city in the Russian Arctic, is considered one of the most polluted places in Russia, if not the world. The city was founded in 1935 as a slave labour camp and is now home to the world's largest heavy metals smelting complex, run by Norilsk Nickel, which releases vast amounts of toxic pollutants into the environment each year. The pollution has had a devastating impact on the health of the local population, particularly children, and the ecosystem. Despite some efforts to reduce emissions, Norilsk continues to struggle with the legacy of its industrial past. Another highly polluted place in Russia is Dzerzhinsk, where toxic waste from factories has led to a range of environmental and health issues.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the place | Dzerzhinsk, Norilsk |
| Location | On the river Volga, in the center of a huge industrial complex |
| Industries | Chemical factories, herbicides, pesticides |
| Pollutants | Chemical waste, dioxins, rocket fuel, DDT, chlorine gas, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium, zinc, nitrogen, carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, phenols, hydrogen sulfide |
| Impact | Abnormally high levels of lung diseases, poisoned air, water, and land, skin ulcers, toxic breast milk, low life expectancy |
| Action Taken | Reduction in factory activity, modernization of plants to reduce emissions, investment in development programs to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions |
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What You'll Learn
Norilsk, the most polluted city in Russia
Norilsk, a Siberian city in Russia, is listed by the country's Federal State Statistics Service as the most polluted city in the country. It is also included in the Blacksmith Institute's list of the 10 most polluted places on Earth.
Norilsk was founded in 1935 as a slave labour camp. Mining and smelting operations began in the 1930s, and the city now contains the world's largest heavy metals smelting complex. In 2017, Norilsk produced 1.798 million tons of carbon pollutants—nearly six times more than Russia's second-most polluted city, Cherepovets. The Blacksmith Institute's list cites air pollution by particulates, including radioisotopes strontium-90 and caesium-137; the metals nickel, copper, cobalt, and lead; selenium; and gases such as nitrogen and carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, phenols, and hydrogen sulfide. The Institute estimates that 4 million tons of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium, and zinc are released into the air every year.
Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading producer of non-ferrous and platinum-group metals, is the firm responsible for the pollution. In 2016, the company's chairman, Vladimir Potanin, admitted that environmental issues were the company's biggest problem. In June 2020, 20,000 tons of diesel fuel spilled from the tank of an NTEK power plant, causing serious damage to the local ecosystem. The company has been accused of illegal waste dumping, and in 2007, it accepted personal responsibility for the damage caused to the forests around the city.
The pollution has had a severe impact on the local population, with children suffering from numerous respiratory diseases. Investigations have revealed that children living near the copper and nickel plants were more likely to become ill than those living in other districts. Mortality from respiratory diseases is also considerably higher than the Russian average, accounting for 15.8% of all deaths among children. The life expectancy for factory workers in Norilsk is ten years below the national average.
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Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading producer of non-ferrous metals
Norilsk, Russia, has been recognised as one of the most polluted places in the world. The city's pollution is attributed to Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading producer of non-ferrous metals, including palladium and high-grade nickel. The company also produces platinum, cobalt, copper, and various by-products such as cobalt, rhodium, silver, and selenium.
Norilsk Nickel's operations have had a significant environmental impact on the region. In 2020, a power plant owned by the company spilled 20,000 tons of diesel fuel, causing severe damage to the local ecosystem. The company has also faced accusations of illegal waste dumping, with social media images surfacing in 2016 of the nearby Daldykan River, which had turned red due to contamination from a smelting plant.
Norilsk Nickel has taken some steps to address environmental concerns. In 2016, the company shut down a smelter, reducing annual pollutant emissions by approximately 400,000 tons. In 2017, the company announced a $14 billion investment in a program to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 75% by 2023. Additionally, Norilsk Nickel has expressed ambitions to increase production of metals for the "green economy," aiming for a 30% to 40% increase by 2030.
The history of Norilsk Nickel is closely tied to the Gulag system of the Soviet Union. Mining in the Norilsk area began in the 1920s, and the Norilsk Combine was established in 1935, utilizing forced labour from the Gulag. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the company was privatized and transformed into a multinational enterprise with operations in several countries. Today, Norilsk Nickel is headquartered in Moscow and remains a significant player in the global mining and metals industry.
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Dzerzhinsk, the most polluted town on earth
Dzerzhinsk, a city in Russia along the Oka River, is considered the most polluted town on Earth. It is located in the center of a huge industrial complex, where chemical factories have been operating day and night for over 50 years. During World War II, these factories produced chemical weapons, dioxins, and rocket fuel—some of the most hazardous chemical substances.
While some factories have reduced their operations or closed down, others continue to produce toxic herbicides based on dioxin, DDT, and chlorine gas. The improper disposal of chemical waste has led to severe pollution of the air, water, and land in Dzerzhinsk. A crumbling reservoir built to contain chemical waste has formed a "huge white sea" of residue that seeps into the nearby Volga River and eventually flows into the Caspian Sea. This ecological catastrophe has severe health implications for the local population, with abnormally high levels of lung diseases and a shocking number of graves of people below the age of 40 in the local cemetery. According to a 2007 study, the life expectancy in Dzerzhinsk is as low as 42 years for men and 45-to-47 years for women.
The pollution in Dzerzhinsk was largely kept secret during the Soviet era, and information only started to emerge after 1988 when specialists investigated the high levels of lung diseases in the area. Today, the city's environmental agency estimates that nearly 300,000 tons of chemical waste were improperly disposed of between 1930 and 1998, with approximately 190 identified chemicals released into the groundwater. Dzerzhinsk has been recognized as one of the worst-polluted cities globally, with high levels of persistent organic chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxic substances.
The situation in Dzerzhinsk is a tragic story of generational denial and neglect. The local population lacks the financial means to move out of the area and has received little support from the government. Despite some efforts to address individual sources of contamination, there has been a lack of systematic action to tackle the immense ecological challenges facing the city. The future of Dzerzhinsk hangs in the balance as the world grapples with the urgent need to address industrial pollution and its devastating impact on human health and the environment.
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Pollution in the Daldykan River
Norilsk, an industrial centre in Russia, is widely considered one of the most polluted cities in the country. The city is home to the world's biggest heavy smelting industry, which releases millions of tonnes of pollutants into the atmosphere every year. Norilsk Nickel, the world's leading producer of palladium, nickel, platinum, cobalt, and copper, is a significant contributor to the city's pollution issues.
In 2016, the Daldykan River near Norilsk suddenly turned bright red, sparking concerns about water pollution in the area. Locals suspected that the river's discolouration was caused by waste from a nearby factory, specifically pointing to metallurgical plants owned by Norilsk Nikel (also known as Norilsk Nickel). The company initially denied any spillage or accidental discharge, attributing the phenomenon to intense rainfall. However, Russia's Environment Ministry and the head of the country's Ministry of Natural Resources suggested that a breakthrough slurry pipeline at a Norilsk Nikel plant could be the source of the contamination.
Norilsk Nickel eventually admitted that heavy rain had caused a filtration dam to flood into the river, resulting in a spillage. This incident highlighted the ongoing environmental challenges in Norilsk, despite the company's efforts to address them. Norilsk Nickel has taken some steps towards improving the situation, such as shutting down its nickel factory and investing in modernization and development programs aimed at reducing emissions and pollution.
The pollution in the Daldykan River and Norilsk has had visible impacts on the environment. Locals report black or red snow and a "blue fog" that irritates the throat. The air concentrations of pollutants, including nickel and benzopyrene, have exceeded annual threshold limits in previous years. Soil pollution and the contamination of local fishing grounds are also concerns in the region. The company's yearly report from 2015 indicated that a significant amount of its wastewater was not cleaned according to government standards, leading to high concentrations of pollutants in nearby rivers.
The pollution in the Daldykan River is indicative of the broader environmental issues in Norilsk, Russia. While some efforts have been made to address these problems, the region continues to struggle with the legacy of industrial activities and their impact on the surrounding natural environment.
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The impact of pollution on the health of children
Norilsk, a city in the Russian Arctic, has long been considered one of the most polluted places in Russia and the world. The city's pollution is attributed primarily to Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel, and a top producer of platinum, cobalt, and copper. The company has been accused of illegal waste dumping and contributing to environmental crimes, with images surfacing in 2016 of the nearby Daldykan River having turned red due to contamination from a Norilsk Nickel-owned wastewater pipe.
In addition to respiratory issues, pollution has been linked to developmental problems in children due to the ingestion of lead and other heavy metals. A 1996 joint study by the Russian Ministry of Health and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found high levels of lead in kindergarten pupils in the city of Saratov, impairing their intelligence. Water pollution is also a concern, with nitrates in drinking water causing methemoglobinemia in newborns, preventing blood cells from absorbing oxygen and leading to slow suffocation.
The Russian public has recognized the adverse health effects of pollution, with 80% of respondents in a survey associating a decline in their health with pollution and 68% believing it affects their children's health. The pollution in Norilsk and other polluted areas in Russia has resulted in a lower life expectancy for residents, with men in Dzerzhinsk having a life expectancy of 42 and women barely reaching 45.
To address these issues, companies like Norilsk Nickel have invested in projects to reduce pollution and modernize their operations. However, official statistics indicate that emissions remain high, and the health impacts of pollution continue to be a pressing concern for children and residents in polluted areas of Russia.
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Frequently asked questions
Norilsk is widely considered the most polluted place in Russia, and one of the most polluted places on Earth. It is the world's leading producer of nickel, cobalt, platinum, and palladium.
Norilsk Nickel, the world's biggest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel, is the firm responsible for the pollution. The company has been accused of illegal waste dumping and in 2020, 20,000 tons of diesel fuel spilled from one of its power plants, causing serious damage to the local ecosystem.
The Russian government has acknowledged that Norilsk is one of the most polluted places on Earth. In 2016, Norilsk Nickel accepted responsibility for the damage to the forests around the city and insisted that measures were being taken to reduce pollution. The company has since invested in a major development program aimed at reducing sulfur dioxide emissions.
The people of Norilsk suffer from numerous respiratory diseases, with mortality from respiratory illnesses being considerably higher than the Russian average. Premature births and late-term pregnancy complications are also frequent. The life expectancy for factory workers is 10 years below the national average.
