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I T E N O M I N A T I O NRudnaya Pristan, Russia
Nominator: Far Eastern Health Fund
www.fehealthfund.org
Description:
Rudnaya Pristan' is a small industrial town in the south of Russian
Far East with population of approximately 5,000. The main industry of
the area is lead smelting. The local lead smelter was built in 1930s
and is still in operation using technologies that have changed little
since the time of smelter construction. As a result of 80 years of smelting,
the town is highly contaminated with heavy metals including lead. Local
residents suffer from multiple health problems that could be attributed
to industrial pollution and lead poisoning, but the government pretends
that the situation is normal and takes no actions to mitigate lead health
risks. In 1996-1997 Far Eastern State University and University of Idaho
conducted a preliminary assessment of the site revealing extremely high
contamination of soils. At present a regional environmental NGO, the
Far Eastern Health Fund, coordinates studies of the area to document
the severity and extent of lead poisoning and to encourage ! governmental
authoritiesto address these issues.
Population:
About 3,000 people live in Rudnaya Pristan and over 2,000 in the nearby
villages. The average income per family is less than $100 a month. Local
residents say that when wind blows from the smelter they feel strange
sweet taste of the air. Soils, air, dust, and vegetation are contaminated
with lead. Hazardous waste is scattered around town. Domestic animals
eat contaminated plants. People grow crops on soil that contains up
to 10,000 ppm of lead.
Toxin:
The main toxin in the area is lead, though levels of cadmium and mercury are
also abnormally high. A railroad crosses the town. to transport lead concentrate
in open cars, which spill the contents along the way. The dust by the railroad
measures up to 200,000 ppm. Rudnaya Pristan was listed in 1998 by the former
Environmental Protection Committee of Russia as one of the five most polluted
cities of Russia. Rudnaya Pristan ranks first in the region by the rate of respiratory
diseases and cancer of stomach, lung, and blood forming tissues.
Current Efforts:
Far Eastern Health Fund with support of regional scientists is conducting
assessment of the area and analysis of children’s lead exposures.
So far even though some government agencies acknowledged that the problem
exists, no real actions were taken by the government to treat lead poisoned
people or impose stricter air pollution and hazardous waste disposal
standards on the local industry.
Remediation:
The first goal is encourage the smelter administration drastically decrease
air pollution from the smelter stacks. All hazardous waste around town
should be collected and disposed, and all highly contaminated areas
like the railroad must be cleaned up or fenced off. It is absolutely
necessary to have all residents in the area undergo medical examination
and blood lead testing with further treatment of those that are lead
poisoned. There must be a strong public education program involving
local schools and kindergartens. There may be a need to relocate families
that live near the smelter.
Local Contacts:
Far Eastern Health Fund (FEHF) is a regional NGO working with environmental
health issues in the south of Russian Far East. The organization maintains
a working relationship with international experts including faculty
at the University of Idaho and Occupational Knowledge International.
In addition, FEHF coordinates its activities with the Center of National
Sanitary Epidemiological Supervision in Primorskii Krai which is the
federal agency responsible for overseeing environmental quality in the
region as related to human health.
