The problem of waste management in Ukraine in the context of military aggression of the Russian Federation

The problem of waste management (hazardous and non-hazardous) is especially relevant for Ukraine as a country with a developed mining industry in the context of military aggression by the Russian Federation. A characteristic feature of this industry is the vast volumes of mining waste (overburden and rock) and beneficiation wastes (“tailings”), the accumulation and long-term storage of which is accompanied by changes in the natural landscape in the area of the primary production process with the formation of powerful man-made formations (dumps, tailings, and sludge pits). In addition to hazardous impacts on the adjacent environments where they are located (soil and water), these facilities are among the most significant and influential sources of impact on the air environment in case of violation of their operation and maintenance conditions

No less relevant and important is the issue of assessing the state of air pollution in the area of influence of Heat Power waste storage facilities (ash and slag dumps of Heat Power Plants and Cogeneration Heat Power Plants). Air pollution is caused by the emission of fine particles into the atmosphere from their surfaces, which are formed by compounds with carcinogenic effects due to the high content of solid fuel (coal) combustion products.

In this regard, to minimize the harmful impact on the health and living conditions of the population, sanitary protection zones (SPZ) are organized around the sites of mining and energy waste disposal in accordance with the requirements of sanitary legislation. The size of the SPZ should ensure that the normative indicators of harmful factors of influence within the SPZ do not exceed their limits at the edge of the SPZ.

The Law of Ukraine, “On Waste Management,” includes mining waste on a general basis without considering the specifics of approaches to managing this most significant group of waste. However, in the European Union, these wastes are separated into a separate group, for which Directive 2006/21/EC of 15.03.2006 On the management of waste from extractive industries and amending Directive 2004/35/EC was adopted.

In February 2024, the Ministry of Ecology published the draft Law of Ukraine, “On Mining Waste Management,” for discussion.

The specialists of the Laboratory of Soil and Waste Hygiene of the Institution, based on the results of their research within the framework of the research project “Regulation of harmful effects and conditions of industrial waste management based on the acceptable risk to public health following the requirements of the European Union” (2021-2023), developed draft Guidelines “On the Management of Waste from the Mining and Energy Industry.”

The main provisions of the draft Guidelines are aimed at ensuring regulatory indicators of harmful factors of impact of temporary (long-term) disposal sites of mining and energy industry waste, fuel combustion waste (coal, wood waste) at heat and power facilities of Ukraine and the impact of individual mining enterprises on the boundaries of their SPZ, as well as management of mining and energy industry waste based on a particular hazard class (hazard category), taking into account the criteria of hazard to human health and the environment in terms of physical and chemical properties (HB1-HB15).

The draft Guidelines propose the size of SPZs for mining and heat and power facilities (solid fuel waste disposal sites), which need to be included in the current sanitary legislation.

The draft Guidelines “On the Management of Waste from the Mining and Energy Industry” are at the final stage of review and approval by the State Enterprise “Committee on Hygienic Regulation of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.”

State Institution “Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”

Laboratory of Soil and Waste Hygiene