In connection with the receipt of appeals from citizens on the issue of air quality in the city of Polotsk, the Vitebsk Regional Committee of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, within its competence, explains the following.

The Polotsk region, including the city of Novopolotsk, is characterized by a diversified industrial structure and is one of the main refining centers in the Republic of Belarus. The functioning of a powerful petrochemical complex determines the leading position of the region in the country in terms of gross emissions of pollutants from stationary sources of enterprises.

Monitoring the state of the atmospheric air in Polotsk is carried out by the Novopolotsk Integrated Ecological Laboratory of the State University “Vitebsk Regional Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring” (hereinafter – State Administration Vitebskoblgidromet) at 2 stationary posts for 11 main and specific pollutants. No. 7 on Kulneva St. monitoring is carried out around the clock in automatic mode with data transfer to the information and analytical center of Minsk.

According to the State Institution Vitebskoblhydromet, in September 2016, in the city of Polotsk, no high and extremely high air pollution was detected. Monthly average concentrations of solid particles (undifferentiated dust / aerosol), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, phenol, formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and hydrogen fluoride were within (0.1-0.5) MPC, and sulfur dioxide was lower established standard.

Compared to the previous month, there was a decrease in air pollution with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and an increase in the concentration of solid particles (undifferentiated in composition dust / aerosol) and formaldehyde was recorded. The content of other controlled pollutants in the air has not changed significantly.

In Novopolotsk, in September, according to measurements at stations with a discrete selection mode, an increased level of contamination was found on ul. Molodezhnaya, d. 135 and d. 158. Excessive quality standards are recorded in four samples of solid particles – (1.2-1.3) MAC, phenol- (1.2-1.5) MAC.

Monthly average concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, solid particles (undifferentiated in terms of dust / aerosol composition), phenol, formaldehyde, and hydrogen sulfide were within (0.1–0.5) MPC, and sulfur dioxide, ammonia, lead, and cadmium were below the established standards of quality. Compared with the previous month, there was a decrease in air pollution with sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and an increase in the concentration of solid particles (undifferentiated in composition dust / aerosol), phenol and formaldehyde. The content of other controlled pollutants in the air has not changed significantly.

The departmental services of industrial enterprises of Novopolotsk and Polotsk in 2016 did not establish any air quality violations at the borders of their sanitary protection zones.

GU “Vitebskoblgidromet” a daily forecast of the levels of air pollution for the day. In order to regulate emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere in the period with adverse weather conditions, warnings were sent about a possible increase in the level of air pollution for OJSC Polotsk-Fiberglass, for OJSC Naftan and the plant Polymir OJSC Naftan.

At the same time, on 18.06.2016, an outbreak of gas-air mixture occurred at the Polymir plant of Naftan OJSC, followed by flare burning of pyrolysis gas separation products on the gas distribution column of polyethylene production. 16.10.2016 at the Polimir plant of Naftan OJSC flare burning of ethylene polymers from the pipeline on the roof of the polyethylene granulation body appeared. At the automatic and stationary stations of the Novopolotsk integrated ecological laboratory of the State University Vitebskoblhydromet in the atmospheric air of Novopolotsk and Polotsk there were no excess of maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants 18.06.2016 and 10.16.2016. According to these incidents, commissions were established for technical investigation of the causes of emergencies at the Polymir plant of Naftan OJSC.

For violation of the environmental safety requirements of OJSC “Naftan” brought to administrative responsibility.