Russia’s state-owned rail monopoly is dumping tons of construction waste into illegal landfills. The landfills, just north of Sochi are in an area classified as a water protection zone. The dumping may lead to contamination of the groundwater supply of all of Sochi. This, despite the fact that Russia promised the cleanest Winter Olympic games ever, thanks in part to a “Zero Waste” program that pledged not to add to landfills.
In 1996, the International Olympic Committee declared that environmental protection would become the “third pillar” of the Olympic movement, alongside sport and culture. So when Russia won the rights to host the winter 2014 Olympics, they to pledged to a greener games.
Incapable of keeping this promise, they seem to think that using illegal land fills in way better than using the existing legal ones, keeping quiet about it means that it is not happening and if you cannot see it, it doesn’t exist. They have promised villagers that it will all stop, but this promise was also short lived, with dumping continuing daily.
The dumping may lead to contamination of the groundwater supply of all of Sochi. This, despite the fact that Russia promised the cleanest games ever, thanks in part to a “Zero Waste” program that pledged not to add to landfills. The main health concern surrounding the landfill is to the water supply.
Russia has done to fulfill its ambitious green pledges. Its $51 billion budget for the Olympics contains no provisions for treating construction waste.
Push the local Russian authorities to live up to what the Olympic games stand for. Fair play and honesty. And not to forget the three pillars of the games: environmental protection, sport and culture.
