Ecological problems of the Belgorod region are important for the residents of this region. The future development, standard of living, and demographic situation depend on the state of the environment.
General assessment of the environmental situation
Environmental problems of the Belgorod region create several harmful industrial production in the region, some of which are located in municipalities. A vivid example is the city of Stary Oskol. In the south-west of this settlement are harmful Lebedinsky and Stoilensky iron ore quarries. According to the criteria existing in Russia today, the city should be officially classified as a zone in which a critical environmental situation is observed.
If we generally evaluate the environmental problems of the Belgorod region, then several factors are related to the natural features that directly affect the ecological state of the region.
Firstly, this location is within the Voronezh anteclise. In this section, the foundation (Precambrian) is as close to the surface as possible. This feature allows you to open large-scale mining, which are concentrated in the crystalline basement of this platform. This is due to the technogenic impact that is associated with the extraction of minerals.
Secondly, even speaking very briefly, the environmental problems of the Belgorod region are associated with its geographical position on the southwestern slope of the Central Russian Upland. Under the condition of presence around sedimentary rocks, as well as due to open terrain and low forest cover, severe soil erosion occurs, organic and mineral substances are carried to the surface. All these components ultimately upset the ecological balance in the region.
Thirdly, the role of features in the circulation of the atmosphere. In winter, easterly winds prevail, and in summer - western and northwest. All this leads to air pollution, which occurs not only due to its own sources, but also due to substances from countries near and far abroad.
The water resources of the region brighten the situation somewhat. The region is located on the Russian Plain, in that part of the watershed, which is almost completely protected from the ingress of pollutants by water. True, this also has a downside. The river area is very shallow, therefore, the regime of water protection zones is regularly violated, and low forest cover leads to siltation of many water bodies and riverbeds.
Another factor affecting the environmental problems of the Belgorod region is its location in the steppe and forest-steppe zones in which chernozem soils are common. They retain radionuclides and other contaminants. And this leads to the accumulation of harmful and polluting substances.
Sources of danger
Describing briefly the environmental problems of the Belgorod region, we can distinguish anthropogenic types of impact on nature. A person exerts a significant influence, engaged in the extraction of minerals (in particular iron ore), developing ferrous metallurgy. This can also include factors such as extreme air pollution in large cities, as well as near densely saturated traffic routes, the impact of solid waste landfills on groundwater.
Dangerous external sources that affect the environmental problems of the Belgorod region (examples of photos are in this article) are also considered air flows saturated with nitrogen and sulfur. In addition, powerful power plants are nearby.
Serious environmental hazards
You can find a list of environmental problems in the Belgorod region in this article. It:
- harmful production;
- negative impact of technogenic factors;
- consequences of human activities;
- a large number of landfills.
Dangerous environmental facilities primarily include sources of artificial air pollution. These are various communal and industrial enterprises. Blasting in quarries, transportation, burning solid and liquid fuels at thermal power plants and boiler houses, and frequent forest fires also have an impact. Such air has a detrimental effect on health.
The role is played by a large number of production facilities in a limited area, as well as the irrational use of industrial and other waste.
Hazardous enterprises
The environmental problems in the Belgorod region are well known to residents who are not far from hazardous industries. Basically, the damage is caused by enterprises associated with the chemical industry, construction, metallurgy and fuel and energy complexes, as well as transport companies.
The problem of polluted air in cities where there are many industrial facilities, transport and about a third of the population of Belgorod itself is acute.
Authorities keep strict records of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere from almost one and a half hundred industrial enterprises that create an unfavorable environmental background.
The first site, with an area of about nine hundred square kilometers, is located in the north of the region. In these places, the background values are significantly exceeded. A spot with an area of about 170 square kilometers is particularly prominent, at which the level of pollution is exceeded at least ten times. It includes the most unfavorable cities of the Belgorod region - Stary Oskol, Gubkin, as well as their surroundings.
The next most hazardous pollution zone is formed around Belgorod itself.
The leader in emissions from stationary sources is Stary Oskol, followed by Gubkin, Belgorod takes third place.
Pollution control
The solution to the environmental problems of the Belgorod region is to combat air pollution. It is being conducted in several directions. The main one is the introduction of modern non-waste production technology, which almost completely eliminates the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
Another solution is to reduce the level of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere due to treatment facilities. For example, the use of new fuels leads to good results. This may be gas instead of fuel oil, the transition of automobile transport to gas fuel.
The increasing amount of green space in the cities and their environs also affects the prevention of air pollution by dust, industrial gas emissions and soot. They effectively clean the air of aerosols and dust.
Emission dynamics
At present, high concentrations of harmful substances are observed in the area of the industrial area of the Lebedinsky mining and processing plant. This leads to the death of green vegetation, diseases of the upper respiratory tract in residents. Within a radius of five to seven kilometers from the quarries, it is not even recommended to use vegetation for livestock feed, as it may contain harmful substances.
The growth of the region’s car park also has an impact. Now it exceeds 350 thousand units. But together with exhaust gases in the atmosphere is carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides.
Effective prevention
They are trying to pay much attention to prevention and to prevent atmospheric emissions. The strategic directions of this work are the purification of emissions of large industrial enterprises from harmful impurities, the introduction of modern safe and non-waste technologies, and the reduction of pollution from automobile exhaust gases.
In order to reduce pollution, developed countries are actively using filters that are installed in car engines, as well as afterburners that exclude additives in gasoline.
City greening
An important area in the fight against harmful car emissions remains strict control over the condition of vehicles. To do this, the traffic police, along with public environmental organizations regularly conduct Clean City operations.
It is important not to forget about the landscaping of urban areas. This is strongly reflected in the air basin, what others breathe. After all, plants saturate the air with oxygen, most of the dust particles suspended in the air settle on them, as well as up to 60 percent of sulfur dioxide. That is why there is less dust in parks and squares, it is easier and more pleasant to breathe there. In addition, green plants regulate the urban microclimate, reduce noise.
