Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Volume 211, Issue -, Pages 346-353Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.01.019
Keywords
Pollution; Health; Environment; Assessment; Toxics; Post-Soviet
Categories
Funding
- Pure Earth, Formerly Blacksmith Institute in New York [107114]
- European Commission
- World Bank
- Green Cross Switzerland
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Using a global database of contaminated sites, toxic hotspots in eight former Soviet countries were analyzed to identify the prevalence, types and sources of toxic pollution, as well as their associated potential public health impacts. For this analysis, polluted sites in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan were compiled and analyzed. The levels of contamination of seven key pollutants were assessed in each country. 424 contaminated sites were identified using data from Blacksmith Institute. Pesticides, lead (Pb), radioactive metals, arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) were the most commonly identified key pollutants. Collectively, these sites pose health risks to an estimated 6.2 million residents. The existing data on toxic hotspots in former Soviet countries likely captures only a small percentage of actual contaminated sites, but suggests potentially severe public health consequences. Additional assessments are needed to understand the risks posed by toxic pollution in the region. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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