Mapping and reducing pollution from chemical factories
Chemical factories operating in countries of the former Soviet Union have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. Lack of enforcement of environmental standards on a par with those of Europe resulted in the degradation of large areas of forest. Efforts are now being made to reverse this trend. A research project funded in part by the INCO 2 Programme sought to develop software to help plant owners and local authorities assess environmental impacts. The decision support tool, entitled DEMACSYS, not only generates pollution maps but also evaluates the effectiveness of different emission reduction measures. During the course of the project, DEMACSYS was implemented by Shchekinoazot OAO, a large chemical producer located in the Russian Federation. A dataset was produced that indexed the local forest resources according to the level of damage caused by the pollution emitted from Shchekinoazot OAO's facilities. Close collaboration with local government officials was established to review the DEMACSYS output and decide the best way forward. It will also be necessary to take into account the contribution from other factories in the region. Initiatives such as Shchekinoazot OAO's are helping to raise awareness at the corporate level about this important subject.
