Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: The effective use of modern technology in waste recycling is a major challenge for any country. Russia has generated 90 billion metric tons of waste, including emissions into the atmosphere and water reservoirs, as well as solid waste. Are our efforts effective enough in this sector? That is my first question.
Second, you monitor the situation at the construction sites for the APEC summit and the Sochi Olympics venues, as well as the most valuable natural sites, such as Lake Baikal. How is this work proceeding?
Vladimir Kirillov: Mr Prime Minister, you're absolutely correct when you say that Russia has generated 90 billion metric tons of waste. But one should bear in mind that this amount includes the so-called accumulated waste, part of which was produced long ago, maybe even in the Soviet times. On the one hand, cities, regions and industrial companies produce refuse when processing ore and minerals, of which 40% is reclaimed. The rest continues to accumulate in geometric progression.
Regions and cities are unable to handle this issue effectively on their own. We need to launch a state programme for recycling accumulated waste because the current situation needs to be improved. For example, since the coal mines were closed in the Rostov Region, coal dust has been carried by wind into the neighbouring area, polluting water reservoirs and everything else. The coal mines stand flooded, and the rusty water from them spreads through the neighbourhood. This issue is very important and complicated. Our service monitors the situation constantly here. The companies that reclaim solid domestic waste lose their licenses if violations of environmental legislation are found at their facilities.
Vladimir Putin: How many licenses did you revoke last year?
Vladimir Kirillov: We do not revoke licenses. It's the Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management that is in charge of it.
Vladimir Putin: I see, you provide the grounds for revoking a licence. So how many licenses were revokes by that service?
Vladimir Kirillov: About 200 licenses. We monitor the situation at large dump sites, such as Krasny Bor in the Leningrad Region, where the most dangerous industrial waste is dumped. Our service deals closely with this issue.
We also monitor the situation at the facilities you mentioned, including the future venues for the Sochi Olympics and the APEC 2012 summit, as well as the Baikal pulp and paper mill. The supervision of the operations there is a very challenging task. Olympic facilities must be built in any event...
Vladimir Putin: But construction must comply with environmental requirements.
Vladimir Kirillov: Absolutely. We carry out on-the-spot inspections at the construction sites, requesting all necessary information from economic agents. For example, at the construction site of the combined highway Alpika-Servis-Adler in the Krasnodar Territory, we made the project manager replant the rare vegetation species that were growing in the construction area to other places. So we usually try and do our best to find a compromise.
Vladimir Putin: Were they replanted?
Vladimir Kirillov: Yes, but some of them didn't survive. They were planted out in early spring, and it's become clear only now that some of them died. But this work will continue. The same goes for the project to carry out cleaning operations at the Golden Horn Bay in Vladivostok. Work is underway there, too.
Vladimir Putin: But the Golden Horn Bay has nothing to do with future facilities for the APEC summit.
Vladimir Kirillov: Well, it's in the same area.
Vladimir Putin: Yes, but it's a different issue. I believe we'll be able to carry out a few additional projects through the preparations for the APEC summit to resolve several environmental problems.
Vladimir Kirillov: We're monitoring the bridge construction there. As far as the Baikal pulp and paper mill is concerned, citizens and public organisations have sent tons of letters, and we understand that tensions are being whipped up deliberately, but we should look at the operations there more closely anyway.
Vladimir Putin: ...to see what consequences they have.
Vladimir Kirillov: Absolutely. But our major accomplishment here is the construction of waste treatment facilities in Baikalsk, which shows the effectiveness of our efforts to reduce emissions. Emissions were reduced somewhat in 2009.
Vladimir Putin: Relieving the general pressure...
Vladimir Kirillov: Yes, relieving the pressure on the environment. Previously, about 20 million metric tons of waste was emitted annually, with only 17 million tons emitted in 2009. On the one hand, this was due to reduced production in a recession year, but on the other hand, we set strict demands that companies meet environmental requirements. I'd like to emphasise that in 2008 they spent 12 billion roubles on environmental issues, while in 2009, they invested 18 billion roubles in the new environmentally friendly technology and discharge reduction.
Vladimir Putin: Despite the fact that production volumes fell somewhat, companies increased their financing to address environmental issues more effectively.
Vladimir Kirillov: That's true. To give an example, the Lipetsk steel mill consumes less water now benefitting from the closed-loop water cycle. They treat refuse water to use it again. The same for air: Emissions into the atmosphere fell by 4.5 million tons, which is also a major improvement.
Vladimir Putin: Metal producers have contributed a great deal to this. They're utilising modern advanced technology, almost green technology, if I can put it like that. They treat the environment with great care.