TED Case Studies

Mercury in Russia

Go to All TED Cases

          CASE NUMBER:        245   
          CASE MNEMONIC:      MERCURY
          CASE NAME:          Mercury in Russia

A.   IDENTIFICATION

1.   The Issue: 

     On January 30, 1995, the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Combine of
Novodvinsk, Russia emitted up to 16 tons of mercury compounds into
the Svernaya Dvina River.  The paper mill will not be shut down
because its filtration plant serves the region for processing of
raw sewage and is a major employer for the area.  Control services,
including the Environment Department of the Arkhangelsk Region
Administration are monitoring the situation, but no official action
has been taken outside of an advisory statement suggesting
"everyone (to) buy water filters as soon as possible."(ITAR-TASS,
1316 GMT, 8 February 1995)

2.   Description: 

     In the Arkhangelsk Region of northern Russia, near the city of
Novodvinsk, the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Combine accidentally
emitted 16 tons of mercury into the Svernaya Dvina River.  The
contamination was first detected by "specialists" on January 30,
1995.  The contamination levels were as high as 740 and 640
critical admissible concentrations (cac), on each side of the
river(Acceptable CAC levels are calculated by comparing the
concentration of contamination with several physical properties of
the body of water allowing for the highest level of soluble
contamination in that particular body of water), which is twenty
times greater than the acceptable level for the Svernaya Dvina
River at this geographical point (see BAIKAL case).  Although the
contamination was taken away rather quickly into the White Sea by
the strong current, the pulp and paper combine continues to emit
mercuric substances into the Svernaya Dvina River. (JPRS, 34)  

     Legally, very little is happening regarding this problem.  The
Environment Department of the Arkhangelsk Region Administration is
monitoring the situation and has advised residents of the area to
purchase water filtration devices.  Some illnesses have resulted
from the contamination, but the potential medical enormity of the
crisis has been averted by rainier-than-normal weather. (JPRS, 32) 

     There have been some local attempts to curb the contamination,
but the plant serves two key roles for the region.  One, it is a
large employer, and two, it serves as the primary filtration center
for the regions raw sewage. These circumstances, coupled with the
low amount of related illnesses, has hindered citizens and
officials, alike, from pursuing a more stringent reprimand of the
plant.  

     The major trade issue involved in this case is mostly
employment opportunities, however, Russia's notorious limited paper
supply does factor into the scenario. In the Soviet period, paper
shortages were common because many of the pulp processing plants
were located far from actual mills.  The problem was so severe that
various paper products, such as toilet tissue and newsprint, were
very rare commodities.  Paper shortages persist in Russia, although
not to the extreme of the Soviet period. 

     A secondary trade issue evolves from Ukraine's refusal to
process the remaining 50 tons of mercuric materials.  Since Russia
does not have a specific mercury regeneration facility, like
Ukraine, it has no immediate way of dispensing of the problem.  The
trade problem in this situation comes from the potential conflict
initiated between Russia and Ukraine related to this issue.  Russia
helps Ukraine dispose of and clean up its nuclear contamination and
waste, but Ukraine is withholding its help from an equally
difficult situation.  This has caused Arkhangelsk government
officials to call into question their economic relationship with
Ukraine. (JPRS, 52)

     Environmentally, the regional impact could be disastrous if
the problem is not addressed quickly.  Specialists have sighted
three areas of environmental concern.  First, the Arkhangelsk
region is at risk of contaminating its water supply.  Not only
drinking and irrigation water, but also the river itself, may be
polluted to toxic levels.  Natural water supplies should have no
mercury in them at all, so "7.4 micrograms per liter of water can
be regarded as an extremely high concentration." (JPRS, 34)  The
current levels of concentration far exceed this level.

     This fact points directly to the second environmental risk,
that being the potential death of the Svernaya Dvina River. 
Currently, the silt beds in the river are retaining considerably
high amounts of the mercuric salts.  This, if left untreated, will
lead to the death and contamination of a great deal of microscopic
organisms that feed much of the aquatic life in the river.  The
potential chain reaction effect could permanently damage the
ecosystem of the river and eventually kill the river itself.

     Third, the flow of large levels of mercuric contamination into
the White Sea could have equally devastating effects on the
environmentally fragile Arctic region, which is adjacent to the
sea.  Although the pollution is greatly dissipated in the larger
body of water, the White Sea and Arctic region are especially
sensitive to this sort of pollution (see ARCTIC case). This
sensitivity results from the lack of microscopic organisms that
help neutralize contamination of this sort in more temperate
waters. With this concern in mind, Finland has issued a statement
of concern to the Russian government. However, they are waiting for
testing results before pursuing the issue further. (JPRS, 57)

3.   Related Cases

     PULP case
     USWOOD case
     TAIGA case
     SIBERIA case

     Keyword Clusters    
 
     (1): Trade Product            = Paper
     (2): Bio-geography            = COOL
     (3): Environmental Problem    = Pollution Sea [POLS]

4.   Draft Author: Christopher A. Corpora

B.   LEGAL Clusters

5.   Discourse and Status:  DISagreement and INPROGress. 

Although there is a disagreement between several parties, within
Russia and abroad, there are no binding treaties mentioned that can
be enforced.  Also, Russian environmental law is very fluid at this
point.  It is uncertain when or if a coherent environmental policy
will evolve within the Yeltsin administration.  This lack of legal
surety stems from political and economic factors surrounding the
fledgling democracy and market economy in Russia.  Many politicians
and economists, alike, believe that a strict Russian environmental
policy would severely hamper the already sluggish economic
conditions; which in turn would reflect badly on an already
disliked administration.

6.   Forum and Scope: Russia and UNILATeral

7.   Decision Breadth:  3 (Russia, Finland, and Ukraine)

8.   Legal Standing:  LAW

C.   GEOGRAPHIC Clusters

9.   Geographic Locations

     a.   Geographic Domain : Europe 
     b.   Geographic Site   : Eastern Europe
     c.   Geographic Impact : Russia

10.  Sub-National Factors: YES (Arkhangelsk Region)

11.  Type of Habitat: COOL

D.   TRADE Clusters

12.  Type of Measure: Regulation Standard [REGSTAND]

An enforceable regulation standard is needed to curb this situation
and others like it, in Russia. However, as mentioned above, this
may not be in the foreseeable future.  If the situation in the
Arctic Ocean continues to develop, then international laws
regarding global commons may come into force; which may create new
standards for the region specific to Russian neglect.

13.  Direct vs. Indirect Impacts: INDirect

The potential impact on the wood and paper product industry is
indirect, as is the impact on the medical industry that will have
to treat those who eat or drink contaminated fish and water. 
However, the trade impact on the fishing industry in the Arctic
Ocean may be direct if the problem is not curtailed.

14.  Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact

     a.  Directly Related     : Yes  Wood    
     b.  Indirectly Related   : No
     c.  Not Related          : No
     d.  Process Related      : Yes, Pollution Sea [POLS]

15.  Trade Product Identification: PAPER

16.  Economic Data

17.  Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness: LOW

18.  Industry Sector: Paper Mill [PAPER]

19.  Exporter and Importer: Internal Russian consumption

E.   ENVIRONMENT Clusters

20.  Environmental Problem Type: Water Contamination [POLS]

21.  Name, Type, and Diversity of Species 

          Name:          Human and marine/aquatic life
          Type:          Animal/Aquatic
          Diversity:     NA

22.  Impact and Effect: High and STRUCtural

This is only one example of many similar contamination problems in
the waterways of and near Russia.  If this were an isolated case
resulting from actions taken outside the legal parameters the
impact and effect would be different.  However, this problem is a
pervasive Russian phenomenon.

23.  Urgency and Lifetime: High and many years 

24.  Substitutes: Conservation [CONSV]

VI.  OTHER Factors

25.  Culture: NO

26.  Trans-Border: YES

27.  Rights: YES

28.  Relevant Literature

Feshbach, Murray. Ecological Disaster: Cleaning Up the Hidden   
Legacy of Soviet Regime. (New York: Twentieth Century Fund Press)
1995.

Grigoryan, B. R. et al. "Regional aspects of environmental      
pollution by heavy metals and public health." Kazanskiy
Meditsinskiy Zhurnal. v 75, January/February 1995(JPRS-UST-95-008,
57-61).

"Major mercury leak contaminates Arkhangelsk river." Moscow Mayak
Radio Network. 0630 GMT, 7 February 1995(JPRS-TEN-95-004, 32-33). 

"Mercury pollution of Arkhangelsk river continues." ITAR-TASS.  
1316 GMT, 8 February 1995 (JPRS-TEN-95-004, p 34).

Yanshin, A.L. and Marina Eratova (interview). "Expert examines
ecological crisis, cause." Pravda. 25 January 1995. 
(JPRS-TEN-95-003, 51-54).