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RUSSIA-POLLUTION-ENVIRONMENT-ARCTIC
Massive thermal plant fuel leak pollutes Siberian river
MOSCOW, June 3, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Local authorities in Siberia have declared
a state of emergency after 20,000 litres of diesel fuel seeped into a river
sparking concerns from environmentalists.
The World Wildlife Fund environmental group on Tuesday praised local
efforts to contain the spill with a floating dam, blocking dangerous
pollutants from flowing into a lake near the Arctic city of Norilsk.
Satellite images published by the WWF showed large red spillages in the
Ambarnaya river and residents nearby posted videos on social media showing
polluted water.
The spill was caused last week by a leaking diesel fuel tank at a thermal
power plant several kilometres west of Norilsk.
Russian mining conglomerate Norilsk Nickel, which owns the facility, said
the tank was damaged when supporting pillars that had “held it in place for 30
years without difficulty” began to sink.
Norilsk is constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened
by melting ice caused by climate change.
Norilsk Nickel has been guilty of spillage in the past. In 2016 it admitted
pollutants from a “filtration dam” at its plant washed into another local
river, colouring it bright red.
It was fined less than $1,000 for the incident.
The Prosecutor of the Krasnoyarsk region said Tuesday a state of emergency
had been declared locally and opened an investigation into fuel leakage.
The Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, said at least
20,000 litres of oil had spread over 350 square meters.
Norilsk Nickel company director Sergei Lipin said 500 cubic meters of
pollutants had been removed by a team of 90 workers whose cleanup efforts were
ongoing.
The state environmental watchdog said groundwater was not polluted and the
WWF called on it to monitor water quality downstream to prevent toxic products
from spreading to nature reserves.
BSS/AFP/MMA/1030HRS