Nuclear Contamination and Environmental Damage from Oil Spills in Polar Regions of FSU

Socio-Ecological Union U.L. Bvrupskaya 8 Krop. 1, 187 117311 Moscow, Russia 

Edited by John S.Wettlaufer, J. Gregory Dash and Norbert Untersteiner Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999 

The Russian Arctic is rich in natural resources—oil, gas, non-ferrous metals, gems, various chemicals used for production of fertilizers, etc. Oil and gas deposits (in oil equivalent) constitute more than 200 billion tonnes, and oil deposits on the sea shelf alone constitutes around 100 billion tonnes. 80% of fish and fish products in the Russian Federation come ft om the Arctic. 

Industrial development in the Arctic started in the second decade of this century and was mainly focused on drilling and mining, construction and operation of smelters, construction of the cities. Simultaneously the Arctic was converted into a huge military base with its test-site on Novaya Zemlya and submarine fleet in the Kola Peninsula, and enormous GULAG empire. Industrial development in the Arctic was based on the labor of prisoners and soldiers, along with that of recruits. 

Until recently a common perception of the Arctic was as an almost virgin land, not yet impacted by technological activity. Meanwhile a long term attitude to the Arctic as the resourceful colony of the Soviet Union resulted in an accumulation of liquid and solid waste and a heavy contamination of the environment. Official statistics indicate that total accumulation of the waste in the Arctic region is close to 100 million tonnes. 600,000 km, which constitute around 10% of the whole Russian territory, are contaminated by chemicals. Total or partial degradation of ecosystems can be observed on the territory of 80 km (Arctic, p. 47]. Only Russian Arctic includes so called impacted zones , where the environmental situation can be defined as acute or catastrophic (Fig. 1). The main polluters are Navies and militaries, mining industry, smelters and power plants. Transport and oil industry thus far have less impact on the Arctic enviromnent. 

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Nuclear Contamination and Environmental Damage From Oil Spills in Polar Regions of FSU... 

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