On 8-th of August in Kirkenes, Norway, meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affaires of Norway Jonnas Gar Store with Russian and Norwegian representatives concerning situation with negative emissions from «Pechenganikel» facilities took place. The reason of the meeting was considerable increasing of concentration of sulfur dioxide revealed in July by means of special equipment installed in 500 m from the industrial zone by Norwegian side.
Representatives of Norwegian Ministry of Environment, Norwegian Institute of Air Investigation,
State Inspection of Controlling Environment Pollution, administration of Sor-Varanger commune, Environmental Centre Svanhovd took part from Norwegian side. Representatives of Murmansk regional administration, administration of Pechenga municipality, Kola Mining-Metallurgical Company, Murmansk department of Russian Hydrometheorological Service, Institute of the North Environmental Ecology – from Russian side, and non-governmental organization from Russia, including GAIA environmental center, and Norway.
Jonnas Gar Store explained to the participants Norwegian policy towards this situation. He marked that environmental conservation is a priority for Norway. Expected from 1990 decreasing of emissions of sulfur dioxide hasn’t took place. Its concentrations registered on the 12th of July remind about situation n the beginning of 90-s, when situation was so sharp that non-governmental organization “Stop of clouds of death form Russia” has appeared in Norway at that time. And though modernization of industry is the task for the Russian side nevertheless Norwegian government decided to support modernization for the improving of situation.
General director of Kola Mining-Metallurgical Company Eugenie Potapov told that environmental problems are priority for them. Volume of emissions is constantly decreasing: from 257 thousand tons of sulfur in 1990 to 104 thousand tons now. Activity of melting process that is the main source of emissions of sulfur dioxide is under control of nature protection institutions. In July melting facilities was working in normal regime. Increasing of emissions of sulfur dioxide hasn’t taken place. The reason of the increased concentration was negative weather conditions when emitted gases not spread around but accumulated in this region causing the increasing of concentration.
Potapov underlined that it is important to organize exchange with information between both sides. KMMC buys new equipment and is ready to discuss methods of observations. He explained to the participants that main sources of emissions are burning facilities in Zapolayrny and melting facilities in Nikel. Each of them gives approximately half of the emissions volume. Delay of modernization of burning facilities was because of not qualified equipment got form France. Nowadays the agreement with Germany is in the process of signing. To the end of 2009 technology of burning will be substituted with briquette production that will lead to the considerable decreasing of emissions of sulfur. Modernization of melting equipment will allow to decrease emissions of sulfur dioxide while melting. Also there is a version to transfer melting facilities to Monchegorsk. These processes will be finished in 2010. As situation was developed the cost of the project of modernization was considerably increased up to 140 billions dollars. Most part of financial load is on the KMMC. Participation of Norway is important not as because of additional financing but more as example of cooperation.
Henrietta Wenstrin – representative of Ministry of Environment mentioned that it is necessary to have reliable information about real situation, and source of emission should disappear. It is necessary to clean emissions. This concern Norway, Russia and Finland. In the report about environmental protection in Finnmark it is shown that emissions are going down but still they are 4 times as high as emissions in the whole Norway. Also content of heavy metals are increasing in berries and mushrooms. She was satisfied that KMMC has concrete plans of improving of situation and underlined that Norway is ready to participate in financing of the modernization of cleaning. Governor of Finnmark personally follow the results of measuring. Local population should have information about environmental protection and about air quality in the regions where they live.
In the exchange with opinions representatives of Environment Protection Department of KMMC, Russian Hydrometheorological Service, Institute of the North Environmental Ecology Problems of Kola Science center Russian Academy of Science, Norwegian Institute of Air Investigation took place. Mikhail Shkondin mentioned that process of climate change forecasted in the report of Hydrometeorological service, took place much more quick that it was expected. And Vladimir Masloboev told that second pollution as a result of accumulation of pollutants in different natural media since 30-s is observed in the natural systems in the region of “Pechenganikel”. President of Norwegian Institute of Air Investigation informed that the reposts of the Institute could be found in Internet.
In conclusion the representative of Murmansk regional administration, leader of the Department of natural resources Nikolay Bichuk told that in the nearest years there would be created Russian net of instrument observations. He underlined that modernization of “Pechenganikel” is the priority for Russian side Annually considerable financial expenses amount are devoted to these goals. All is going according to plan. He promised that situation with the decreasing of emissions will be considerably improved to 2010.