Hazardous waste management in the city of Oleshki, Kherson region

Hazardous waste management in the city of Oleshki, Kherson region is one of the key tasks of the region's environmental policy. The city is located in an area of ​​active agricultural production and tourism, which causes a significant accumulation of hazardous waste. Unauthorized dumping of toxic substances and an insufficiently developed system for their processing pose serious threats to the environment.

Hazardous waste management involves organizing their collection, sorting, transportation and further processing. There are several specialized collection points in Oleshki where residents can hand over batteries, mercury lamps, electronic devices and used lubricants. However, according to environmentalists, a significant part of hazardous substances ends up in natural landfills, which leads to soil and water pollution.

Environmental maintenance of enterprises in the city is aimed at reducing the impact of industrial waste on the environment. On the territory of Oleshki, there are enterprises of the agricultural, food and transport industries that generate a large amount of harmful substances, in particular residues of chemicals, petroleum products and pharmaceutical substances. In 2023, 18 environmental inspections were carried out, during which violations of the rules for handling hazardous waste were detected at 40% of enterprises.

Hazardous waste is stored in the city at specially equipped sites that provide temporary accumulation of toxic substances before their further processing. However, the volume of these sites is limited, which creates a risk of their overflow. The situation is particularly difficult with the storage of chemical fertilizers and plant protection products, which can enter aquifers, causing pollution of drinking water.

Transportation of hazardous waste is carried out by licensed companies that have the appropriate permits for the transportation of toxic materials. In 2023, more than 60 official transportations of hazardous waste were carried out from Oleshki to processing plants in neighboring regions. However, there are cases of illegal transportation of hazardous substances without appropriate documentation, which poses a threat to the environmental safety of the city.

Recycling of hazardous waste is an important area of ​​the city's environmental activities. Currently, Oleshki does not have its own enterprise for processing such materials, so most of the hazardous substances are exported to neighboring regions. In 2023, more than 20 tons of hazardous materials were transferred for recycling, including batteries, electronics, and fluorescent lamps. In the future, it is planned to create a local recycling center, which will significantly reduce transportation costs and improve the environmental situation.

Public awareness of the problem of hazardous waste remains at an insufficient level. According to the survey, only 38% of residents know where to drop off hazardous substances. In 2023, the city held 12 information campaigns aimed at raising the environmental awareness of citizens. However, to effectively solve the problem, it is necessary to increase the number of educational events and create a more accessible system for collecting hazardous materials.

Local authorities are actively cooperating with state environmental organizations to improve the situation in the field of hazardous waste management. In 2023, Oleshki received a grant of 1.8 million hryvnias for the development of environmental infrastructure. Thanks to this, it is planned to install mobile hazardous waste collection points and introduce new technologies for monitoring their circulation.

Preventing illegal handling of hazardous waste is one of the main tasks of the city. In 2023, 14 cases of illegal dumping of toxic materials were recorded, most of which are located near the Dnipro River. To combat this problem, the city authorities plan to implement a GPS monitoring system to control the transportation of hazardous waste and increase fines for violations of environmental legislation.

Thanks to an integrated approach to hazardous waste management, Oleshki is gradually improving the environmental situation. The introduction of new methods of collection, transportation, storage and processing of hazardous materials helps reduce the level of environmental pollution. However, to achieve better results, it is necessary to expand the network of collection points, increase funding for environmental initiatives, and strengthen control over the activities of industrial enterprises.