Ecological problems in Georgia and in the regions

    Ecological problems in Georgia 

    "Ecology" is a very popular word today.  But what does it mean? Ecology is a science that studies the relationships between all forms of life on our planet and the environment. 

    The ecology is a science studying interaction of organisms among themselves and an environment. 

    Again this is an oversimplification. The causes and prevention of pollution make up important elements in the study of ecology, but they are not its whole subject.  Equally important is the use of our environment in ways that will safeguard the heritage of fertile soil, pure air, fresh water, and forests for those who come after us.

    Does all of population- nature, animals, birds, fish, and insects live happy and healthy lives in our common "home" nowadays?  Unfortunately not.

    The EARTH is our HOME. The world around us is wonderful. Our aim is to make it more beautiful and to preserve it for ourselves and for future  generations 

    Ecological problems 

    With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature has increased. Every year the world’s industry pollutes the atmosphere with millions of tons of dust and other harmful substances.

    Among the most urgent problems are:

• Ozone layer,
• Acid rains,
• Global warming,
• Toxic pollution of atmosphere,
• Disappearance of forests,
• Contamination of underground waters by chemical elements,
• Destruction of soil in some areas,
• Threat to some flora and fauna representatives, etc.:
• One of the most important pollution problems is the oceans
• Another important problem is air pollution
• Modern industry production is the main threat to nature

 

    There are a lot of places on our planet that need immediate help. Our country is not exception. The nuclear accident at Chernobyl, which took place on April 26, 1986., has seriously aggravated the ecological situation in Belarus. That catastrophe can be considered as the largest disaster of the 20th century. As the result of that accident 18% of territories of our republic were contaminated by radioactive elements.

    Ecological problems have no borders. European states solve these problems together: the necessary measures are taken, congresses and conferences on these questions are organized, and these questions have already the reflection in the legislation of many countries. 

    The activity of many public organizations is directed to protect environment. One of the most known organizations is “Greenpeace”, whose purpose is prevention of environment degradation. This organization was founded in 1971 by the activists from the USA and Canada and it has representations in 25 countries of the world. “Greanpeace” acts against nuclear tests, radiating threat, pollution of the environment by waste industrial products, to protect the animal world, etc. This organization influences public opinion through mass media, under its aegis manifestations and protest actions are carried solutions for concrete ecological problems.  

    When I look around I realize that not all people understand the importance of nature protection. On fine summer days a lot of people go out of town. They have picnics on the shores of lakes and the banks of rivers or on beautiful forest glades and they often leave behind a lot of rubbish- plastic bags and bottles, tins and paper. It makes me feel sad when I see people returning to town with huge bunches of forest or meadow flowers. Many of these plants are included into the Red Book which contains the names of rare plants and animals. Some of them have become extinct and others are on the verge of disappearing. If we don’t realize that we are all responsible for what’s happening around us we will never feel secure about the future of the world we live in. 

    What can be done to protect nature? I believe that environment disasters can be avoided if people broaden ecological education and every person understands that the beauty of nature is extremely fragile and people must obey the unwritten laws of nature. Governments must be prepared to take action against pollution. Air pollution could be reduced if plants and factories were made to fit effective filters on chimneys and car exhausts. Green zones around big cities must be protected and extended. Natural resources should be used economically because their stocks are not unlimited. 

    Waste 

    Waste presents any substances or used materials, which owner distributes, is going to distribute or requires distribution legally.

    The waste management system in sphere of environment protection in Georgia has not developed yet. During a regime of the Soviet Union there was no waste law, so the distribution of all kinds of wastes occurred with disruptions. Municipal waste was frequently mixed with hospital, military, nuclear etc.; legal landfills satisfied the minimal requirements. At the same time, the illegal landfills were and still are existed.

    The waste placement is the most vexed problem in Georgia.  

    Known that, 1.3million ton of hazardous waste accumulates entirely in Georgia, this figure does not comprise the industrial, construction, ore-dressing and farm wastes and the information on hospital and radioactive wastes is uncompleted at all. Absence of special storage facilities also complicates this fact, foundation of which would take up a great deal of time and means. No one Georgian region has the segregation territories, and the curtained type wastes are disposed on the ground industrial facilities or nearby land with rough irregularity of sanitary and environment protection standards.

    At the same time, existing storage facilities are unsegregated and overfilled. In addition, after dissimilation of collection system waste is being stored at so-called “temporary” landfill sites and in the enterprise premises, e.g. outdated storage facilities of radioactive wastes and pesticides.

    In 1992, at the beginning of economic collapse, total quantity of solid waste was exceeded 60 million ton, where 70 % were industrial waste. Up until recently, any reliable inventory has not carried out. In spite of the fact, that on entirely of country fixes so-called “hot” points, it is impossible to get any changes (for the lack of funds), e.g.:

    In Zestaphoni (West Georgia)- 7,8 ha of ferroalloy plant territory polluted with silica-manganese scum; 0,2 ha - magnesium scum; 0,5 ha- with silica -manganese dust.

    In Khashuri- Natron waste of arenaceous quartz has dispersed over the urban settlement of Surami, by that fact, and pollutes the Suramula River.

    In Bolnici, territory of the ore-dressing plant of c/a “Madneuli” polluted with heavy metals that have accumulation of butane features (Cu, Pm, Zn), the total polluted air is 53 ha. Oil refinery territory in Batumi polluted with acid tar (40,000 ton). The plant is situated near the Korolistskali River and is polluted the Black Sea with oil products. It is necessary to notice, that acid tar quantity at 500 C and gets dangerous for public health (cause a leukemia).

    The problem is worse in the sphere of consumer waste; majority of landfills do not meet sanitary requirements, and do not segregate, madefy soil layer, and, also do not have any water sample wells; landfills are unsegregated, hereupon the access for domestic animal is open.

    Frequently, industrial wastes are located near to the rivers and reservoirs. For example: one of the sites in Tbilisi; sites in Poti and Batumi, which are disposed on the unsegregated sites near to the Black sea; the sites in Gori and Rustavi are enriched by phreatic water, and are the main causes of Black sea pollution. 

    The following problems, which have already injured to public health, are: the lost radioactive waste and no proper control on the import of hazardous chemicals. In 1993, a nuclear waste package was supposed to have been sent to Russia for disposal three years before (in accordance with normal procedure in the Soviet era), but it returned to Georgia due to the general failure of transportation routes, after that nobody was interested in the box which was left somewhere near the railway cargo station. In 1996, somebody disassembled these outdated nuclear waste packages, aftereffect of that - three persons were injured (two of them fatally).

    In Georgia, there were serious problems with former Soviet military bases. In 1997 near Tbilisi, in the military training center (former Soviet military base till 1996), existing in Lilo, nine soldiers received a local irradiation. After the tracer study of the territory the large parameter of a radiating background had fixed, e.g. radioactive sources С9137 and СО60. The accident was localized with assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

    In Georgia, the Soviet Army left more than 350 bases, the part of them is deserted, and another is the property of different structural organizations. By November 9, 1997 under the order of the President of Georgia was created a public coordinating commission of environmental protection, the purpose of which - to investigate all territories of similar bases. The commission has already revealed some radioactive springs. 

    As there is no operational site or treatment facility in Georgia for radioactive waste, 800 g of burnt nuclear fuel from the Atomic Research Center near Tbilisi (decommissioned ten years ago) were taken out from country with assistance of the USA and the UK.

    It is necessary to note, that in some areas of Georgia there are cases of storing industrial waste in household waste sites that is strictly prohibited. In particular, uncontrolled storing of solid waste is to impact on the environment, and, therefore, it is practically impossible to appraise environmental impact assessment. The problem complicates also the fact, that in the present, the waste-treatment plant is not under the function, when in the past, were the recycling of such industrial wastes, as: textile, paper, glass, tire, nonferrous metals junk, etc.

    It is necessary to take into account that, the legislative waste management in Georgia is inadequate. 

    In Georgia, only two laws act in this sphere. 

    1. In 1995, the “ waste import and transit” low was based on the main principles of Basel convention (1989) - “Tran boundary transfer and placement control “. 

    2. In 1998, “export and re-export of ferrous metals and nonferrous salvages and their wastes”. 
 
 
 
 

    Problem specific to waste management include the following: 

1. The system for collecting domestic waste is almost disrupts. As a result, a great deal of household waste is disposed of privately on streets, yards, or in unorganized dump sites spread throughout housing areas without any consideration of environmental and sanitary requirements. No sites for the receipt of either municipal or industrial waste in Georgia are designed with consideration of environmental requirements. Most industrial waste is disposed of on the ground of industrial facilities or on nearby land;

 

2. No sites and facilities for the disposal and treatments of radioactive, toxic and other hazardous waste exist;

 

3. Waste is not segregated, thus any recycling or processing is hindered;

 

4. Little information exists on the type, quantity of the waste generated and accumulated on sites for their disposal. Gathering and systematization of the data is not accomplished on regular basis;

 

5. Geological and physical characteristics of existing dumpsites are unknown. Thus, the scale of impact by landfills on surface and ground water cannot be evaluated;

 

6. No accepted classification of waste has been developed for monitoring, control or effective managements;

 

7. There is an almost complete lack of personnel in Georgia at both municipal and local level adequately trained in waste management.

 
 

    Investment Projects: 

    I. Provide existed waste emissions:

• Waste separation
• Waste conversion for receiving production
• Exploration of production market

 

    II. Create sites for disposal of radioactive, toxic and other hazardous waste 

    III. Get discounted and preliminary studying of all sites of household wastes (legal and illegal) and then estimates an environmental impact assessment (EIA). After all these actions, provide a modernization (reconstruction) or dissolution order of such disposal sites. 

    IV. Engineering new sites for waste disposal with due consideration of sanitary standards and requirements, and prepare legislative reform for allocation of the ground area. 

    V. It is necessary to build a treatment plant that passes modern standards.