In 2016 pollution by enterprises increased by 7.7% YoY, mostly because of the switch from the natural gas to other fuel types.
“In 2014 air pollution volumes totaled 3.35 million tons, in 2015 – 2.857 million tons, in 2016 – 3.078 million tons. We believe that the growth is the result of the increase in the number of industrial enterprises and the replacement of gas with other fuels”, the minister of ecology and natural resources Ostap Semerak declared.
The pollution of the 33 worst polluters accounted for 2.316 million tons in 2016, up by 0.2 million tons YoY.
“Of 25 major air polluters 10 belong to the mining and metal industry”, Semerak added.
The leader in air pollution – ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih – decreased its volume from 275.08 thousand tons to 272.85 thousands tons, while Mariupol Ilyich Iron and Steel Works, coming second, increased from 171.69 thousand tons to 178.14 thousand tons.
Azovstal increased pollution volumes from 67.68 thousand tons to 78.06 thousand tons.
At the same time last year Azovstal was the first in water pollution, though having decreased it from 141.5 million cubic meters to 140.7 million. It is followed by Dneprovsky Iron and Steel Combine and Zaporizhstal with 71.21 million cubic meters and 54.3 million cubic meters respectively. (Ukrainian metal)