The Shirokorechensky landfill, considered the most hazardous accumulated environmental damage site in the Sverdlovsk Region, has been successfully remediated. The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources announced this on its website.
For over 50 years, the landfill served as a dumping ground for household waste, accumulating more than six million cubic meters of garbage.
"The Shirokorechensky landfill was the largest in the Sverdlovsk Region. Located in close proximity to Yekaterinburg, its negative impact was felt by the entire city with a population of over one and a half million people. The solution to this significant environmental problem for the region became possible thanks to the federal project 'Clean Country'," said Murad Kerimov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia, as quoted in the statement.
Remediation work began in 2021, and since then, over 23 hectares of land have been restored, and a drainage system has been installed to divert leachate and biogas.
"The safety of the site is ensured by its multi-layered structure; bentonite mats protect against the penetration of precipitation, and a protective screen and a fertile layer of soil are laid on top," the statement reads.
According to the ministry, by the end of this year, under the national project "Ecology," 191 landfills and 88 accumulated environmental damage sites will be eliminated in Russia.
Starting next year, the "Clean Country" project will be continued under the name "General Cleanup".