2.11. Pilot Project: Inventory of Pollution Sources at the Decommissioned Mili-tary Sites on the New Siberian Islands

The Project goal was to assess the pollution levels within the decommissioned military bases on Kotelny and Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Islands of the New Siberian Islands and to prepare remediation proposals for these territories.

Figure 33. Location of Decommissioned Military Bases on Bolshoi Liakhovsky Island and Kotelny Island

The Project Duration           31 August to 30 November 2010

The Project Activities

Phase 1.

Figure 34. Numerous Drums and Military Hardware on the Coast of Stakhanovtsy of Arctic Bay, Kotelny Island

1.1. Charting by means of aerial survey and terrestrial geodetic survey of the main pollution sources within the decommissioned facility of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Kotelny Island (65 ha) were carried out, namely:

1.2. Charting by means of aerial survey and terrestrial geodetic survey of the main pollution sources within the decommissioned facility of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island (25 ha) were carried out, namely:

Figure 35. Aerial View of Empty Drums Storage South of Diesel Station on Bolshoi Liakhovsky Island

• infrastructure facilities, abandoned machines and buildings;
• numerous 200-l metal drums containing oil products, waste oils, oil products residues and other liquids;
• large capacity tanks for the storage of oil products;
• abandoned technological equipment;
• domestic and construction waste dumps;

Figure 36. Dump of Steel Drums Filled with Fuel and Lubricants to Varying Capacity

Figure 37. Tanks Near Diesel Station on Bolshoi Liakhovsky Island

1.3. Taking samples of (i) oil products, other technical liquids stored in containers to identify their contents and level of POP concentration; (ii) soils near the pollution sources and within the contaminated territories to identify pollution by oil products and PAH, PCB and heavy metals.

The Temp Civil Airport was also surveyed, with the survey coverage of 40 ha.

Phase 2.

2.1. Chemical analysis of samples
2.2. Processing the survey results in the office including:

The Project Outcomes

Leakages from the deteriorating tanks for the storage of diesel fuel, waste oils and other process fluids are the main source of pollution. In order to identify the fluids accumulated at the facilities, the Project took 19 samples, with 10 samples displaying the presence of heavy metals and PCB.

In order to characterize the surface flow migration patterns of pollutants, the Project took samples from the stream that drained Sites No.4 and No.6 of the Air Defense Station on Kotelny Island.

The orthophotomap and site investigation provided data to estimate the amount of tanks and drums stored on the above sites. In accordance with the overview photos, a similar estimation was made for the adjacent areas located beyond the survey sites.

Estimation of the Amount of Drums Stored within the Surveyed Sites

The above estimation did not cover isolated drums dispersed across the entire territory, the share of which could reach more than one percent of the amount shown in the above Table.

High levels of hydrocarbon pollution were found on all the sites. This is a dispersed pollution.
Within the abandoned military facilities, 22.5% (Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island) and 28.8% (Kotelny Island) of samples demonstrate the contamination levels above the intervention levels. Within the Temp Airport, intervention level was found to be higher in 5 samples out of 7 (70%).

Average and Maximum Concentration of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soils as a Share of the Intervention Level (5,000 mg/kg)

The acreage with the sol contamination levels above the intervention level is as follows:

• The Air Defense Station on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island:    4.6 ha;
• The Air Defense Station on Kotelny Island:                        6.4 ha;
• Temp Airport:                                                                   3-5 ha;

Leakages of fuel and lubricants from the deteriorating and corrosive drums are the source of this contamination. In addition to full drums, empty drums also contribute to contamination. For instance, two samples taken from drums showed oil hydrocarbons polluted water that gets into drums with melt and storm water. Water would flush out oil hydrocarbons that are stuck to the bottom and walls of the drums contributing to corrosion process. As a result contaminated fluid also gets into soil.

The study results clearly indicate dispersed heavy metal contamination both within the abandoned military facilities and in the adjacent areas. The contamination levels are characterized as highly and extremely highly hazardous (the value of the total contamination of the Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island facilities is between 149-193, while the Kotelny Island facilities contamination values range between 145 and 152. These anomalies were comprised of more than one element including cadmium, lead, copper, nickel, zinc, and tin. Some samples displayed extremely high levels of contamination with Hazard Class 1 elements. In particular, on Kotelny Island, the Site 6 sample exceeded the lead baseline contamination levels 700 times, while the Temp Airport sample exceeded the mercury baseline contamination levels 25 times.

Given the ways PCB gets into the environment, the samples showed local PCB contamination. But despite this fact, random sampling showed excessive PCB concentration in some cases as compared with the permitted levels (0.02 mg/kg) - 2.3 times on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island, and 1.2 and 4.2 times on Kotelny Island. For the islands, this appears to be sufficient justification for the inclusion of PCB on the list of pollutants that are viewed as priority pollutants. The contamination levels (from 2 to 5 MPC) fall into the category of hazardous contamination levels.

Burning of fuel is the main source of PAH emissions. The abandoned facilities of the Russian Ministry of Defense have been abandoned for about 20 years and though the arctic conditions slow down the destruction of organic pollutants, their concentrations in soils are now lower. On Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island and Kotelny Island, only 10 percent of the samples showed benz(a)pyrene (other substances are not regulated) concentrations that are 2 times higher than MPC. All such samples are from concave landforms (catholes, small ravines) located off the main sites. In wet shadowy soils, the destruction of organic pollutants takes longer than in the rest of the territory. Some samples (3 out of 40) displayed a slightly higher concentration (1 mg/kg) of total PAH (1.12 – 1.46 times).

These findings show that this pollutant is common across the surveyed facilities and sites but the contamination levels are within the permissible limits (up to 2 MPC) and there might even be a reduction trend.

Transformers were found during the walkover survey of the Air Defense Station and Temp Airport on Kotelny Island. They are open, and the covers are not fixed, but by the look of it, the bodies are good. There is fluid inside. The fluid levels are sufficiently high. In accordance with safety rules, direct sampling of the PCB-containing equipment was not done. It may be assumed that the transformers contain sovtol with water that gets into the transformers as precipitation.

Figure 38. Abandoned Transformer as Potential Source of PCB

For the purpose of identification, 19 samples were taken from numerous drums and tanks that are accumulated on the sites and partially filled with process fluids. In most cases, winter diesel fuel was a prevailing fluid with depressor additives. There was also summer diesel fuel, motor oils, and waste oil mixes. On all the sites, the drums and tanks did not appear to be in a good state of repair. There were corrosion pits, and numerous leakages. Water was found in two samples. Water would flush out oil hydrocarbons that are stuck to the bottom and walls of the drums accelerating the corrosion process. As a result contaminated fluid also gets into soil causing contamination.

Figure 39. Drum Leakages

In order to assess the surface flow migration of pollutants, a water sample was taken at the congruence of the brooks draining from Sites No.4 and No.6 (the Air Defense Station on Kotelny Island). In accordance with the COD value (437 mg О2/dm3), the brook water falls into the category of wastewater. According to Annex “ZH” to SNiP 11-102-97, the COD >80 mg О2/dm3 characterizes the situation as an environmental disaster. Concentration of oil hydrocarbons in water is 1.82 mg/dm3 (36.5 MPC). Concentration of copper and lead could be as high as 14 MPC. The high contamination level of water is an integrated indicator of pollutants accumulation in the soil cover. This assessment is particularly informative in the context of local contamination. The general approach to the development of measures aimed at eliminating pollution sources and the follow up remediation of lands in the high arctic was proposed under the demonstration project “Rehabilitation of the Environment near the Decommissioned Military Facility on the Franz-Josef Land Archipelago”, 2007.

The preliminary investigation of the current environmental status of the surveyed sites on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island and Kotelny Island indicated that the nature and extent of contamination within the decommissioned military facilities on the Franz-Josef Land Archipelago and New Siberian Islands are very much similar.

As is the case with the facilities on the Franz-Josef Land Archipelago, the technological disturbance of the territory comprises the following disturbances:

The survey results gave an opportunity to determine a preliminary list of the main activities for the cleanup of the sites. Priority No.1 is to carry out detailed pre-project site investigation works in order to better determine the cleanup scope including:

Based on the results of the site investigations and surveys, TOR for the development of the project design and cost estimates should be prepared. It will also be necessary to address the issues related to the property issue of the sites and facilities including succession issues after the completion of the site remediation project.

Developing and implementing a project for the cleanup and remediation of contaminated lands in the Russian Arctic is a rather expensive initiative, which must have the corresponding financing from the federal budget. A customer should also be identified. In this case, it could be the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation with the participation of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and experts from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The potential project is likely to be developed and implemented by organizations - winners of the corresponding competitive bidding within the government procurement system. It would be practical to propose to take into account the corresponding experience gained in the course of planning and implementation of demonstration and pilot projects, in particular those implemented under the UNEP/GEF Project “Russian Federation – Support to the National Action Plan for the Protection of Arctic Marine Environment”.

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