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ABSTRACT
Waste management has been and will continue to be a major issue facing countries worldwide. In the Russian Federation industrial and municipal waste management system is one of the key components of a country's overall environmental and resource efficiency framework. This study is aimed at evaluating the generation, characteristics, and management of waste in Russia based on published information. A brief history of waste management in Russia from 1994 to 2014 is presented. Till 2007 total generation of industrial waste in Russia growth at a rate of several percent a year. Since then in 2008-2009 a moderate decrease of total industrial waste generation was registered. From 2010 till present total generation of industrial waste in Russia growth stably. But hazardous waste generation by industry dropped drastically in 2008 at almost half level as compared with 2007 and remains at the same level till now. Another tendency is relevant for municipal solid waste. The total annual volume of municipal solid waste produced in Russia increased steadily without any reaction to changes in economic activity in the country. The waste management in Russia faces many substantial problems caused by increasing per capita production of waste materials, lack of sufficient investment into infrastructure, institutional, a wide range of stakeholders and a dynamic and controversial legal arena. The waste stream itself varies in composition over time and space with seasonal and longer term changes in quantities and amounts of various materials; the market for 'recycled' materials is characterized by uncertain demand and fluctuating prices. Last decade the waste management system in Russia experienced significant development and changes caused by adaptation to new national environmental policy declaring formation of effective and environment friendly economy, conservation and recovery of natural environment, prevention of ecological catastrophes and adaption to the climate change. The current crisis is unfavorable to developing the waste sector. Nevertheless some future prospects for waste management in Russia are discussed.
Keywords: industrial waste, hazardous waste, municipal solid waste, recycling, disposal
INTRODUCTION
Solid waste management has been and will continue to be a major issue facing countries worldwide. Characteristics and quantity of waste arising from domestic, commercial and industrial activities in a country are typically determined by its population size, standards of living and technology development, but also...