Pollution in Krasnoyarsk is Out of Control: Ecological Assault Team Deployed to Combat the "Black Skies"

Officials from Moscow will be sent to disperse clouds over Krasnoyarsk. A sort of an ecological assault force will land in Siberia according to the President’s order. It was addressed to the local and federal government. An emission reduction plan should be prepared by mid-June.

It’ll become a salvation for Krasnoyarsk. The city is now at the very bottom of the country's environmental rating. Only in the last two months, the "black sky" mode has been announced six times. In such days, locals are warned against going outside, but if they have to, people are recommended to breathe less. Pollution is being fought in different ways. Some people get creative and made funny protection masks, For example, such ones with rabbits or fish are available for choice. But environmental activists are more active. Thanks to them, the Krasnoyarsk "black sky" has several websites, accounts on social networks and YouTube. There are a lot of pictures and videos with low black clouds blocking the sun.

Mikhail Terentyev will tell how these clouds will be dispersed and whether it's possible.

- How did people in Krasnoyarsk react to the President's order?

- Alexei, rather positively, as when the head of state is interested in the problem, it means that the problem will be solved soon.

Clouds of smoke rising over the industrial facilities' tubes, like the ones in the photo, on the background of the foggy city, look like something from the universe of Tarkovsky's Stalker. In fact, they're part of Krasnoyarsk's drab existence, a city with over 1,000,000 residents. Even such black rings that hang in the sky over the city and scare the Russian Internet don't really surprise the locals. They say they see such things every winter when it's cold. In fact, Krasnoyarsk residents spend almost 1/3 of the year in the "black sky" mode when nothing can be seen. Isn't it a reason for discontent? Activists and protesters were heard at the very top.

Andrei Skovorodnicov-Erlikh, the Clear Sky movement leader: "Such problems can't be solved at once, it's clear. I hope we'll be able to breathe normally in some years. But to achieve this, it's actions that are needed, not words".

The presidential order was as follows: "We need to reduce emission by any means".

For you to understand: last year alone, Krasnoyarsk residents inhaled almost 2,500 tons of poisonous chemicals through air. They include nickel, mercury, manganese, hydrocarbons, including acetic aldehyde, formaldehyde, benzopyrene, and many more. Even their names are scary, and there's a reason as they're deadly even in small quantities. The number of new cancer patients in the city increased to 4,000 a year.

Igor Shpekht, the Krasnoyarsk Sky project head: "Our former governor, Tolokonsky, said live on one of the local TV channels said that our air was clean and suitable for breathing. And his wife said that it's in our heads that the air is dirty, and if our thoughts get cleaner, the air will follow".

It wasn't yesterday that Krasnoyarsk started suffering from ecological problems. In the 80s, the unwillingness of local authorities to react to worsening problems lead to a real oxygen deficiency in the city. The fact that the Yenisei doesn't freeze because of the HPP only makes it worse. Thick fogs accumulate poisonous particles even in winter. Moreover, the city is located in the valley.

Igor Shpekht: "When there's no wind in the city, all the poisonous elements, emitted by different sources, get accumulated in this pit and don't go anywhere, that is, these masses don't get dispersed and don't move anywhere. And we have to breathe them".

It's clear that the authorities don't know yet where to start. There are troublesome areas, such as the industrial complex, which includes 12 plants and the Krasnoyarsk TPPs. According to ecologists, they're responsible for almost 60% of emission. Today, the head of the region inspected these facilities and told how it can be changed.

Alexander Uss, the Krasnoyarsk Krai provisional governor: "We need to switch to the new types of production, to the new ways of cleaning our big industrial facilities and pollutants, We need to demolish old failing buildings, such as small boiler facilities and coal-burning plants, which use a lot of electricity and contribute to pollution".

One more eternal problem, bad roads, also damaged the environment. Undeveloped road system and dense traffic lead to the fact that the exhaust air constituted more than 1/3 of all emissions. It's clear that the authorities won't be able to make all drivers switch to hybrid or electric cars, but there's a way out.

Vladimir Chasovitin, provisional Ministry of Ecology: "We'll try to develop ecological means of transport in the territory of Krasnoyarsk. It's possible. We'll offer purchases of new kinds of trams, as well as trolleybuses. The President ordered to develop in the city the transport using gas as its fuel, we're working on this as well. We're planning to sign an agreement with a Gazprom's affiliated company on the development of this kind of fuel stations in the city".

A detailed action plan will be worked out not earlier than by summer. The understanding of its cost will follow. However, spendings on the cities' environment improvement are rather an investment into the future. Local officials will be able to report on the work done in a year, before the Winter Universiade 2019.

- Mikhail Terentyev told us about the "black sky" over Krasnoyarsk.