Assessment of the environmental impact of toxic waste disposal at the Krasny Bor Landfill

Introduction. Russia annually produces about 400 thousand tons of Hazard Class I (extremely hazardous) and Hazard Class II (highly hazardous) wastes.

Material and methods. The Program includes the study of the hazardous chemical pollution produced by the waste disposed at the Krasny Bor Landfill within a radius of 1–4 km over the period from 2009 to 2013. Samples of water, sediments, soil, and atmospheric air were analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography with highly sensitive detectors, as well as IR spectroscopy.

Results. At all sampling sites, the air concentrations of priority pollutants characteristic of the waste disposed at the Landfill did not exceed the MAC level. Analysis of water and sediments from channels at the Landfill showed that the concentrations of a number of chemical pollutants at the border of the 1-km zone exceed the corresponding regulatory standards. Heavy pollution of wastewater and bottom sediments at the Landfill with some waste components, including organochlorine compounds, oil products, and heavy metals, as well as uneven pollution of soil in the 1-km zone from the Landfill in the northern and western directions, i.e. toward the potential residential development, with lead, copper, zinc, petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, benzo[a]pyrene, and xylene isomers was revealed.

Conclusion. The resulting data provides evidence for the adverse environmental impact of the Krasny Bor Landfill. The territory of the Landfill has been stabilized to allow further trouble-free development of a complex of measures on a scheduled basis.