Volgograd Region is under threat of mercury pollution, ecologists assert

The Information Centre (IC) "Volgograd-Ecopress" and the Centre "Eco-Accord" (Moscow) have launched, together with the IPEN (International POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) Elimination Network) their global campaign "Without Mercury: You, I and Children". According to the initiators of the action, they plan to lobby adoption in 2013 of "a tough global agreement on mercury." Researches within the campaign have shown that the Volgograd Region is still under threat of mercury pollution.

"Our aim is to reduce and eliminate the influence of mercury on human health and promote the use of safer materials," said Elena Vasilieva, head of the above IC, in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "Besides, the NGOs- members of the IPEN demand to increase the awareness about the influence of mercury and safe alternatives available."

In Volgograd, the anti-mercury campaign was started by a press conference organized by the IC "Volgograd-Ecopress" on April 29, 2010. It was attended by officials from the Regional Ecology Committee and specialists from industrial enterprises of Volgograd.

During the press conference, Ms Vasilieva presented results of the studies analyzing the use of mercury-containing goods (thermometers, tonometers, batteries, mercury-containing creams and amalgam) in three cities of Russia: Volgograd, Moscow and Novorossisk. Apart from studies and analysis of the goods, the researchers bought and investigated for mercury content Russian-made creams and cylindrical and tablet batteries.

The following results were obtained. Mercury-based thermometers are used in 100 percent of hospitals, while 54 percent of them are also using mercury-free ones. "A serious barrier for broader use of the latter thermometers is a high price of them (11-25 roubles for a mercury-based thermometer against 98-1710 roubles for a mercury-free one) and hygiene issues," Ms Vasilieva explained.

Volgograd ecologists said that in the surveyed cities all the hospitals use only mercury-free blood pressure meters. Such tonometers are widespread; the price varying from 321 to 3510 roubles. Family doctors also use only mercury-free tonometers. No amalgam is now used by dentists. Mercury-free dentistry materials are broadly available and accessible.

Ecologists have analysed seven brands of cosmetic products. Analysis of Russian creams made by the "Cosmoteros" Company showed absence of mercury. Fourteen percent of consumers know that skin-beaching products may contain mercury.

At retail shops 14 types of cylindrical batteries were found, marking of most of them (57 percent) indicated absence of mercury, whereas for the rest of them (43 percent) no information on mercury content was given either on batteries or on packing.

The second part of the press conference was on the issues of environment contamination with mercury in Volgograd. The Committee for Natural Resources and Environment Protection of the Volgograd Region presented the results of analysis of pollution with mercury of water bodies of the Volgograd Region and definition of mercury content in river inhabitants.

"The analysis of the environment contamination with mercury by industrial enterprises has shown, in particular, that pollution with mercury of evaporating ponds of the OJSC 'Kaustik' has permanent character," Elena Vasilieva said. "As compared with previous researches, in some points the mercury content went up by 60 percent. In many aspects, it has to do with discharge of non-purified drains in previous years and accumulation in bottom layers."

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent tried to get comment from the OJSC "Kaustik"; however, Sergey Sergeev, Chief Engineer of the Company, could not find time during two days to announce the viewpoint of his administration.