Most important environmental issues in Russia in 2019

As of March 2019, 46 percent of Russians stated that dealing with waste was one of the top three environmental issues facing Russia, the most of any category, according to data published by Ipsos. By contrast, only two percent of respondents believed soil erosion to be a major environmental issue.

Russia’s waste problem

The countrywide issue developed due to the lack of a waste management strategy in Russia. Open-air landfills, which exceeded their capacities, were located close to living areas and disturbed the population with smell and pollution. The estimated number of illegal dumps in Russia was the fourth largest in Europe in 2019. The trash reform, which was aimed at modernization of the country’s waste management infrastructure and introduction of garbage separation in Russia, started in 2019, but it was criticized for its slow progress and increased waste disposal costs.

Russian attitude to recycling

The country accounting for 2.4 percent of the global municipal solid waste, Russia only starts to separate waste in households and practice plastics recycling, pressured by pollution, public frustration, and climate change. Over 80 percent of Russians were concerned with the use of plastic and non-recyclable products.