resources: thinking about future
6.2. Human impact on the environment
EVOLUTIONS: 0 SITUATION: 0 PERSPECTIVES: +1
Source: Annual reports on quality of the environment and operation of the Ecological State Inspectorate;
Figure 29 Total volume of atmospheric emissions, by source of emission, thou. tons
189 The state of the environment in the Republic of Moldova in 2005 (National Report), Chisinau, 2006.
189 Annexes on fi xed sources of air pollution to Reports of the Ecological Agencies for 2005.
Environment and natural resources: thinking about future
enterprises and fuel stations. In rural com-munities, agricultural and domestic waste is of concern. In the proximity of large sand and calcareous quarries, huge hills of stone powder may be seen. In spite of the above-mentioned defi ciencies, lately, some positive signs are observed, which are generated, mainly, by the transition of power generat-ing and heat generation stations from use of coal and fuel oil to natural gas, and by the launching of works for modernization of purifi cation plants. Additionally, the instal-lations that use Freon, ammonia, chlorine, sulphur anhydride, etc., are monitored.
Violations are still found of the regime of burning process along with failure to com-ply with standards on exploitation of con-trol and measuring devices, failure to timely fi x insulation disorders in burners and gas ducts, etc., in operation of power and heat producing stations.
Human activity and negligence have a negative eff ect on water quality in Moldova.
Water pollution is conditioned by ineffi -cient operation of the purifi cation plants for waste water and lack of such plants in many communities, uncontrolled fl ow of pluvial water, storage of animal waste, mining and domestic waste in close proximity of water resources, washing of motor vehicles on banks of rivers and lakes, etc. Only 78 of the existing purifi cation plants of the country’s communities operate out of the total 131, while 25 of these receive and evacuate waste water with no purifi cation. Th e problem of waste water purifi cation is not being solved for many years now in most of the com-munities, most aff ected of them being cities Soroca, Rezina, Criuleni, Calarasi and oth-ers. In rural households, the cattle manure is spread everywhere with a high impact on phreatic water, which serves as source of po-table water for over 70 percent of the rural population.
Another source with major impact on air and water are the enormous piles of limestone powder, situated around quar-ries for limestone extraction, especially in the north-eastern part of the country. Th e evacuation of this waste using motor ve-hicle is costly, while the local market may only partially absorb it, although it could serve as cheap raw material for bricks (for-tan, a type of slightly insulating small size
building blocks), mortar and other building materials.
Th e pollution degree of surface and phreatic water sources varies from moder-ate to strong. Th e water in Bac river higher than Chisinau on the river course exceeds 2.0-2.5 times the maximal admissible con-centrations (MAC) and 3-4 times in the lower river course. Th e noxious substances exceed MAC in all stations for water quality monitoring on Raut river. Although water quality in Nistru and Prut rivers is, gener-ally, better, the concentration of noxious substances is considerably higher in the part of the river situated lower than the urban centres (Soroca, Rezina, Criuleni, Ungheni and Cahul). Th e State Epidemiologic Ser-vice has registered over the last three years al alarming growth of pathogen microbiologic agents in lakes and rivers, including Nistru and Prut. Th e pollution of communal lakes is truly alarming. Most of them have not been cleaned over the last 15 years. Th e pol-lution with oil products of Beleu river situ-ated in „Prutul de Jos” (“Lower Prut”) scien-tifi c reserve due to spillage from derricks of the „Redeco Ltd” company requires urgent intervention. In the proximity of these der-ricks the concentration of oil products ex-ceeds MAC over 5 times.
Growing contamination of the phreatic waters used by the population is one of the factors, which have a harmful impact on the state of health of the nation (see, PUBLIC HEALTH). Th e inventory of the artesian wells and basins which was carried out in 2006 has shown that only 2,665 of the 4,448 existing wells are fi tted up in compliance with the sanitary protection rules. Over 80 percent of the underground water does not comply with the ecological and sanitary-hygienic norms; in 70 percent of the moni-tored wells nitrates, nitrites and fl uorine was found in excess of MAC, while in 30 percent – microbiologic pollutants were found in excess of MAC.
Th e illegal deforestation of protec-tion forest belts around agricultural areas, on river banks and banks of gullies, at the borders of protected areas and green spaces has a major negative impact on the woods of the country. Very alarming are the de-forestation of communal forests situated on
Environment and natural resources: thinking about future land with risk of landslides and soil erosion.
Th ese actions aff ect the indirect economic and ecological functions of the woods (pre-vention of landslides, soil erosion, draughts, fl oods, air purifi cation, biologic diversity conservation, leisure and rehabilitation of the people’s health). Th e deforestation is conditioned not only by objective needs, such as insuffi cient pasture land and fuel, massive impoverishment of most of the ru-ral population, but, to a certain degree, by negligence of the population, and of local authorities. Th is negligence takes the form of a superfi cial control of the wooded areas, except for the state owned ones and the low level of fi nes for such off ences, including for persons of authority.
Risks
Th e insuffi cient monitoring and regula-tion of the transboundary polluregula-tion impact considerably decreases the economic and ecological effi ciency of the actions imple-mented by public authorities, local pollut-ants and benefi ciaries for supervision and improvement of the ecological condition in the Republic of Moldova. Foreign pollution sources cannot be monitored continuously, while the damage provoked by them to the local population are nor compensated for.
Additionally, through loss of control over the territories on the left bank of Nistru riv-er, the impact of industrial enterprises and other pollution sources in this area is nei-ther monitored, nor is it subject to compen-sations by offi cial authorities of the Republic of Moldova.
Th e lack of purifi cation plants and the depreciation of the existing ones, consider-ably reduces the capacity for self purifi cation of air and increases the impact on health of the population in the adjacent areas. Th e fi xed sources of unauthorized emissions in close contact with the human body are exceedingly dangerous. Th e high number of motor vehicles and congestion of urban routes pose major danger to air quality and health of humans.
By ignoring microbiologic pollution of phreatic waters, water courses and ba-sins, the authorities and the people may face zonal and local epidemics in the near future with extremely grave consequences,
especially for children. Th ese waters are polluted also with nitrates, nitrites and oil products, which increase the incidence of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhoses, cancer, digestive system disorders, etc. Livestock manure and domestic waste cause lack of compliance with ecological and sanitary-hygienic standards for phreatic water, which poses high risk for the health of the human body. Children face higher risks in this case, too. Th e superfi cial cleaning in communi-ties with only “cosmetic” approach to pollu-tion sources of phreatic waters decrease the effi ciency of programmes for water supply and sewage, with the risk of tens of million MDL going to waste. Another major dan-ger for underground waters and health of the population is posed by the high degree of depreciation of the devices for capturing phreatic water. Th e pollutants penetrate through them directly into the deep water reserves. Th e health of the population is also aff ected by the old systems for potable water supply (see Section PUBLIC UTILI
TIES). In general, it is estimated, that about 20 percent of the diseases are provoked by inadequate potable water.
Insuffi cient implementation of biologic diversity conservation actions and actions for decrease of the negative impact on pro-tected natural areas contributes to degra-dation of specifi c and genetic diversity of ecosystems and of the national natural heri-tage. A real example of such degradation is the spillage of oil products from derricks of Redeco Ltd company (recently, the Govern-ment has terminated the concession con-tract) into Beleu lake of the „Prutul de Jos”
scientifi c reserve, which has caused great damage to the biologic diversity of this pro-tected area and to the water quality of the said lake. Illegal deforestation gravely aff ects the regeneration of the woodland, water and soil protection, as well as green spaces of communities.
Governmental policies
Currently, most of the subsidies for en-vironment originate from foreign aid and are allocated for modernization of potable water supply and sewage systems, manage-ment of stocks of persistent organic pollut-ants (POPs), sanitation and planting of trees in communities, restoration of degraded
Environment and natural resources: thinking about future
land areas, improvement of soil fertility, im-plementation of „carbon funding191” proj-ects, extension and effi cient management of protected areas, and conservation of biolog-ic diversity (Table 16). Regretfully, allocated funds are ineffi ciently used. For this reason, a signifi cant part of the planned objectives are not reached. As seen in Table 16 and Table 17, the most effi ciently implemented were the projects for liquidation of stocks of (POPs) and „carbon funding” projects.
Th e activities for decreasing atmospher-ic air pollution are relatively limited both in number and impact. Th e Ecological State Inspectorate, in cooperation with the Traffi c Police is annually organizing the Clean Air operation192. Th us, in over 10 percent of the tested193 vehicles emissions in excess of the norms were found. In case of more frequent and more thorough control, a much greater number of such vehicles may be found. Th e
lack of high performance devices for testing toxicity of exhaust gases emitted by the mo-tor vehicles is a very acute problem. Th ere is also a lack of technical diagnosis and servic-ing devices in most ministries and depart-ments, the fact which conditions from the very start a limited effi ciency of supervision of the impact of the motor vehicles on air and human health. Additionally, the num-ber and rigor of the emission control has diminished not only for mobile emission sources, but also for stationary ones. Th e number of control posts of the Customs Ecologic Service has fallen down to six. Th e audit of stationary emission sources is car-ried out very superfi cially. Th e acute defi cit of qualifi ed human resources in the area is also a big problem, especially due to miser-able salaries and the very small number of graduates specialized in the area.
Among the most important tools ap-plied for decreasing the impact on atmo-spheric air (as well as on other natural and man made elements) are the payments for pollution of environment from fi xed pollu-tion sources, payments for import of com-modities that pollute the environment, reducing the age limit of second hand im-ported motor vehicles, extension of trolley-bus lines and modifi cation of urban minitrolley-bus and bus routes. Over the period 2002-2006, the total amount of payments collected for import of commodities that pollute the envi-ronment has grown about six times (Figure 30). At the same time, this increase is also due to the corresponding increase of pollut-ing products import, especially oil products, vanishes and paints, second hand tyres.
Th is fact has also contributed to increasing the impact on air and people’s health.
As mentioned before (see NATURAL RESOURCES), within the National Pro-gramme for Water Supply and Sewage in communities up to the year 2006, a number of actions were undertaken for repair and modernization of the water supply systems, sewage and purifi cation systems. However, due to lack of funds, draught and defi cit of potable water in phreatic sources and deep sources, ineffi cient management of works for centralized supply, most of the rural popu-lation consumes contaminated water from surface wells and springs. Th e absolute ma-jority of plants for purifi cation of domestic
2004 2005 2006
Allocated Implemented Allocated Implemented Allocated Implemented
Water supply and sewage 11744 1503 26576
9470
14693 9470
42220 19433
47300 13599,4
Communal forests 3773 1146,3 4553,5 3713,2 3837,7 3665,8
Biologic diversity 124 0 311,5 311,5 -
-Persistent organic pollutants 2993,1 2107,8 3742,7 3913,5 13100 10000
Carbon funding 1078 828 1790,1 1387,5
Soils 11000 20600 21000
Table 16 Allocation and use of subsidies for environment, thousand MDL
Source: Laws on state budget and Annual Reports on state budget execution for the respective years;
Year
2005 2006 2007 (sem. I)
Water supply and sewage 15971,4 (143) 24620 (147) 10260 (40)
Waste 1317,7 (20) 8209 (36) 2563 (11)
Tree planting in communities 4279 (47) 9168 (59) 11427 (49)
Biologic diversity 611,2 (4) 1933,5 (11)
Other 4305,4 (116) 25450 (180)
Total 31467 (332) 69381 (433)
Table 17 Funds allocated from the National Ecological Fund (NEF) for implementation of projects related to the environment, thousand MDL
Note: the number of projects approved for funding by NEF is shown in brackets
Source: developed based on data provided by the Environmental Information Centre of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
191 According to Kyoto Protocol on stabilizing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the „carbon funding” projects provide for use of non-polluting energy resources with minimal pollution.
192 In compliance with Decision of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No. 1047 of Oct. 04, 2001 on approval of the Programme for decreasing the pollution of the atmospheric air by motor vehicles.
193 The annual Report on the quality of environment and operation of the State Ecological Inspectorate in 2005.
Environment and natural resources: thinking about future waste water are old and deteriorated, while
almost no eff orts are made for their mod-ernization and reconstruction. Th e works for physical-chemical treatment of water of wells and springs subjected to inventory (80 percent of the total) were superfi cial. Fre-quently, the main pollution sources were not eliminated, especially communal and live-stock waste. Th us, in spite of extending the network for centralized potable water sup-ply, we cannot state that the noxious impact on people’s health has decreased. Provision of physical access to potable water with no centralized collection and purifi cation of waste water cannot signifi cantly diminish the negative impact on water supply sources and health of the population.
Th e currently applied tool for compen-sation of damage to water includes payments for regulated and unregulated pollution of water resources, administrative and penal sanctions, as well as actions for remedying the damage. Th e low level of payments for water pollution and their low dependence on quantitative and qualitative aspects of the water basins does not provide the nec-essary incentive for reducing the amount of waste water fl owed into the environment by polluters. Although damage to water is very frequent and there exists a high perfor-mance methodology for its assessment, the number of initiated court cases and cases of compensation for the damage is very low.
Th e main reasons for this small number of fi nes and actions undertaken for remedying the ecological damage are as follows: ap-plication of the „guillotine law”, which has reduced almost to null the number of con-trols allowed to ecological inspectors, lack of human, fi nancial and technical resources for ecological control, reduced access to in-formation on ecological impact of using and polluting environmental resources, and ex-istence of some corporative interests which protect certain polluters. In addition, until currently, the tool for ecological insurance has not been implemented. As demonstrated in Western countries, the ecological insur-ance is one of the most effi cient economic incentives for supervision of noxious impact and compensation for damage to environ-ment and people’s health.
In order to implement the Strategy and Action Plan in Biologic Diversity
Conserva-tion for the period 2001-2010, the Biologic Diversity offi ce was instituted within the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
Th e main tasks of this offi ce are: planning and coordination of actions for biologic di-versity conservation, creation of the infor-mational system related to components of biologic diversity, raising of foreign funds, awareness building among civil society and state authorities in implementing planned objectives. Th e most important achieved objectives are: publication of second edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova, approval of Law on establishment of nation-al ecologic network, inventory of groups of organisms within protected areas, creation of database in the area and public relations.
Only 20 million MDL of the total 44 million MDL needed for the implementation of ac-tions planned for 2001-2005 were allocated, thus, only 44 percent of planned actions were implemented. Insuffi cient implementation of planned actions was conditioned by the ex-cessive number of planned actions, suspen-sion of some actions by foreign partners, es-pecially the ones in Ukraine, ineffi cient work of the Inter-Ministry Coordinating Board, which did not have any sessions during the reporting period, superfi cial cooperation with authorities responsible for woods, insuf-fi cient involvement of local authorities and population, ineffi cient supervision of impact on protected areas and biologic diversity components by woodland and ecological au-thorities and superfi cial application of sanc-tions for breach of laws in the area.
Source: Annual reports on quality of environmental components and operation of the State Ecological Inspectorate and Ecological Agencies
Figure 30 Total payments collected from import of polluting commodities (million MDL)
Environment and natural resources: thinking about future
Within the framework of ecological pol-icies a number of actions are possible which do not involve raising high scale funds and which have a direct benefi cial eff ect as well as an educational impact and contribute to strengthening the society. Such actions are periodically implemented in the Republic of Moldova. For example, such eff orts of eco-logical authorities, as the annual action “Th e city free of cars” are worth encouraging in future. Th e ecological authorities have un-dertaken the action “Water Caravan” for monitoring and cleaning river beds, espe-cially of smaller rivers. Territorial ecologic organisations and, to a lesser extent, local pubic authorities have participated in this action. Each year, the weekly action “Water - the spring of life” is carried out comprising cleaning of wells and springs on the territory of communities. Special attention is paid to actions undertaken during the annual one-month tree planting campaign „Plant a tree for our perpetuation!”. Regretfully, these actions are not actively supported by local authorities and the population. However, it is at the level of local communities that ef-fi cient policies for environmental protection should fi nd a start.