EPL continues to follow the latest results of the monitoring of the environment in Eastern Ukraine. Unfortunately, such monitoring is now possible only in the liberated territory.
According to Sanitary Epidemiological Service, inspections of soil were conducted by sanitary-chemical and bacteriological parameters. In the Donetsk region the proportion of samples which revealed deviations from the sanitary requirements for sanitary and chemical indicators, in 2015 was 14.1%, in 2014 – 18.2%. According to bacteriological indicators, in 2015 deviations occurred in 24.8% of samples, in 2014 – in 27.9%.
The exceeding of the average regional indicator according to sanitary-chemical testing was recorded in. Dzerzhynsk – 52,5% (copper), in. Maryinka – 14% (copper), in Mariupol – 14% (zinc), in Kramatorsk – 5.2% (zinc, lead, nickel). No deviations according to sanitary-chemical indicators were detected in Slovyansk Krasnooarmiysk, Artemivsk, Volnovaha, Druzhkivka, Dobropillia.
The exceeding of the average regional bacteriological indicator recorded in Dzerzhynsk was 71%, in Mariupol – 44.4%, in Konstantynivka – 58%, in Slovyansk – 31%. No deviations according to microbiological parameters were recorded in Krasnyi Lyman, Krasnoarmiysk, Maryinka.
According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, in 2015 the average concentrations of heavy metals, in particular lead and zinc, in soils in Mariupol exceeded the MPC in 3,3-3,5 times. The maximum lead content reached the level of 36.2 MPC (high pollution). The maximum concentrations of zinc reached 7.3 MPC, copper – 3.3 MPC, cadmium and manganese – 2,5-2,3 MPC.
The Ministry of Agriculture reported that in 2014 the material base of branches and employees were in the zone of military actions, so monitoring of soil for agricultural purposes was not performed. After the evacuation of branches to the liberated territories in 2015, soil samples were taken in Donetsk region on an area of 48 thousand hectares and in Luhansk region on the area of 91.7 thousand hectares. At present laboratory testing is done.
The State Forestry Agency also did not monitor soils in forest areas and forest vegetation for damage or contamination of the liberated territory of East Ukraine in the period of 2014-2016 due to lack of budget funding for such work. Besides the lack of budget funding, another problems are failure to do demining of forests and ensure access to the areas of monitoring.
Despite the difficult environmental situation in Eastern Ukraine, the state still has no comprehensive program of reconstruction and rehabilitation in the region. Local people are not aware that the use of contaminated land for private farming is dangerous to health and life. EPL experts disseminate to residents information about how to protect themselves from pollution. We hope that the situation will change in the nearest future and public authorities will have time, desire and financial resources to solve environmental problems of Donbas.
