Environmental disaster in Tuapse.

Tuapse is a town in the Krasnodar region located on the Black Sea coast, Russia. The Bulk Terminal for mineral fertilizers transshipment is being constructed in the central part of Tuapse near to the central quay, and it causes a great outrage of townsfolk.
There are already many ecologically adverse enterprises in the small area of the town:
Oil refining factory, Tank farm, Trading port with a balk-oil mooring and open transfer of coal, Ship repair factory and the grain terminal.
Nowadays the atmosphere suffers from over 15 thousand tons of harmful substances from stationary sources and 90 thousand tons from motor transport every year.
And we still add new objects of pollution besides constantly raising existing ones.
Under such circumstances the Bulk Terminal, illogically, has received the positive ecological conclusion allowing building with allocation of a sanitary-protective zone of 100 meters, as good as it is going to transit sand or rubble. Mineral fertilizers are no ordinary loose cargoes. While being storage they expose dangerous gases such as nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, potassium chloride, not to mention the plain dust.
This company is going to handle 2,5 million tons of mineral fertilizers a year and store a large quantity of these fertilizers in a warehouse 265 X 59 X 37 meters large in the heart of the town.
These Volumes are unprecedented for our country. Even at the declared pollution of 0,04 % (doubtfully to be followed), emissions in atmosphere will make approximately 1 000 tons a year. It is about 3 tons of aggressive chemicals every day.
A food trading-purchasing base and a bread-baking complex are at 100 meter distance from the warehouse. And behind them there are apartment houses, kindergartens, schools, sport facilities. City Quay and stadium are situated next to the Bulk Terminal.
Recent events have shown all the falsity of the assurance of the Bulk Terminal owners and management about its security. On March 16-th, 2010 still not completed terminal had been made the illegal shipment of mineral fertilizers cynically named the tests. In recognition of the leadership of the terminal vessels Urea and nitroammofos were shipped. The townsmen walking on the quay observed large dust cloud rising over a vessel being loaded. Ammonia emission in air has been confirmed. Right after the incident many people on the quay suffered from the same type symptoms of malaise (a tickle in the throat, tearing, itching, dizziness, etc.). Some people went to the hospital but doctors being under the local administration pressure refused to define a chemical poisoning as the diagnosis.
It should be considered that the port of Tuapse lacks any bay and stays at the start point of two divergent coastal currents. So any chemicals in the sea will be carried along the shore for a considerable distance to Sochi and Gelendzhik within only several hours. This might cause enormous damage to the Black Sea ecology.
Witnesses state that within 2 weeks after that incident a mass death of dolphins occurred from Sochi to Dzhubga. 9 animal carcasses were found. But proof of connection between the death of dolphins and the loading of fertilizers is not possible to get because local laboratories refuse to take any tests, but such mass death of dolphins was never observed before.
Besides the obvious threat to life and health of all the inhabitants, the Bulk Terminal also may destroy the Black sea resorts. Black Sea sanatorium and resort complex is the largest in Russia and is the priority in the regional economy. There are 1200 large and medium hotels and over 1000 tourist sightseeing places in our region. The unique climate, natural medical resources attract more than 10 million people each year to the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar region.
The All-Russian Children%u2019s center %u201COrlenok%u201D hosting children from all the country 365 days a year is situated less than 40 km from Tuapse.
The town of Tuapse is in close proximity (83 km) to the city of Sochi %u2013 a resort of federal value. Sochi is going to host millions of foreign visitors for the Winter Olympic games of 2014. Activity of the chemical bulk terminal is discrediting Sochi as a favorable and attractive region and threatens Olympic Games fail to make out.
Townsmen demand forbiddance of the Bulk Terminal activity.
We urge everyone not to remain indifferent and to render every possible assistance to rescue Black Sea coast and stop activity of Tuapse Bulk terminal Ltd. and EuroChem company in the town of Tuapse!

Residents of Tuapse
7952 subscribed from April, 14-th till April, 20-th, 2010.

Petition in progress