Nikel environment protection activism spreads across the region

Murmansk Oblast has now joined the “Clean Arctic” clean-up campaign. Volunteers are cleaning the northern areas of the region and removing the waste that has accumulated there, including clean-up of Zapolyarny, Monchegorsk and Nikel pollution traces. This time volunteers cleaned the beach of the Ura River, one of the most popular recreation areas for Murmansk residents.

"We must catch every violator and teach them a lesson" The beach of the Ura River attracted surprisingly many people on a gloomy weekday. Colorful flags fluttered over the beach making it a much more picturesque place in such dull weather. People of various ages armed with bags and rakes collected litter, which has inundated the beach and the surrounding pine forest. This massive clean-up was part of a volunteer movement for ecology and environmental protection.

The guests were stricken by the view - the mistreated and contaminated beach scored by car wheels. Many of the culprits are fishermen who drive directly to the shore to fish in the river, which is a clear violation of the local rules. As the clean-up campaign gathered pace, several cars appeared on the sandy shore that day. Violators were not even disturbed or embarrassed by the people cleaning the riverbank.

Unfortunately, this is often the attitude of guests and residents of the Murmansk region. Regional Minister of Environmental Protection Sergey Abarinov spoke about what’s in store for the violators. He said a fine won’t be enough, adding that “we must catch every violator and teach them a lesson.”

Tourists spoil the natural beauty of the area. Litter, abandoned barbecue paraphernalia, bricks are scattered randomly across the beach. This happens because some lazy drivers find it inconvenient to walk a dozen meters and instead drive their cars right on the shore where they often get stuck in the sand. Then they need to fetch bricks to put under the wheels hoping to get their car unstuck.

Do it yourself and invite others On the clean-up day, garbage bags were filling up quickly. Fortunately, there were many helpers on the beach. Some of the most active ones were the volunteers wearing blue jackets with the Nornickel logo and the emblem of the environmental marathon "Let’s do it," which has been held by the company for several years.

Olga Gorchakova, one of the campaign’s participants and coordinator of the corporate volunteer movement, said that Nornickel volunteers came there very inspired. They sought to continue what they have started in their own cities and regions:

• Zapolyarny
• Monchegorsk
• Nikel.

She added that the goals of their environmental marathon and the volunteer movement in general and the goals of the “Clean Arctic” project are similar. They all strive to make the world a better and cleaner place.

Initially, volunteers addressed the Nikel environmental and ecological problems, along with similar problems in other cities of the area. Nikel ecology, like the ecology of most cities from the region, is a genuine concern not only for its citizens but also for the employees and employers of local corporations, such as Nornickel. For instance, the sulphur dioxide pollution occurring in Nikel, which is an inherent part of elemental sulphur production, has also prompted the company to shape its ecological strategy and to take appropriate steps to protect the environment. Nornickel has not only undertaken numerous efforts to protect the environment but also to undo Nikel environmental damage.

As for the number of the volunteers participating in the Ura clean-up, Olga Gorchakova said that there could have been many more activists, but the plans had to be adjusted due to pandemic realities. The “Factory of Good” (Nornickel’s corporate volunteer movement) was allowed to send only five people to the event, although they could have come with a much more powerful squad, since they have 470 volunteers in the crew. These people are coming from Zapolyarny, Monchegorsk and Nikel, the places where overcoming environmental issues and challenges is a common task. Although there was a lot of work for volunteers, Olga also remarked that there is always not enough time to fulfil all ideas and aspirations.

The main value is instant results

Factory of Good volunteers described how people usually get involved in work. At first – with caution, but then everyone starts to pitch in. The project coordinator said that the most valuable aspect of this work is that everyone sees the result immediately: the place was dirty, then, it became clean.

Many volunteers who took part in the campaign noted that compared to their previous visits, the beach became much cleaner. Those who have not been to these places since 2014-2015 also confirmed that these shores have really become more taken care of in recent years. For example, in the previous years, one could find anything in the pine forest, from simple household rubbish to bath tubs, hills of asphalt and the shells of sea urchins. Now, thanks to various environmental projects and efforts of volunteers, including those corporate ones, and the active participation of people who care, the northern forest has indeed become much cleaner.

Assessment by volunteers

Assessing the work of the volunteer movement, the ex-head of the Federal Ministry of Natural Resources, Dmitry Kobylkin, noted the huge contribution made by large companies, such as Nornickel. After all, although people remain the main asset of the clean-up process, not everything can be done manually and financial resources are needed to clean up vast industrial waste.

Volunteers, according to the official, are honest and dedicated people. Mr. Kobylkin noted that volunteers represent the bright future of the country, people who will move Russia forward and will make it a better and cleaner place to live in.