In 2021 Russia logged a record level of industrial waste, totaling 8.45 billion tons. The data come from a major audit and consulting network and reflect a sharp uptick in waste generation across the economy. The year saw a 21.5% rise compared with 2020 and a 9% increase over 2019, signaling persistent strain on industrial processes and waste management systems. Within the breakdown, roughly 60% of the waste originated from coal production, while about 28.4% came from the extraction of metal ores. This distribution highlights the dominant role of heavy industry in shaping environmental challenges during the period.
Geographic patterns show that the largest surge occurred in the Kemerovo region, where annual waste exceeded 873 million tons. The Krasnoyarsk Territory followed with 150.2 million tons, and the Republic of Buryatia ranked third, recording an annual increase of 83.3 million tons. These regional dynamics point to the concentration of mining and energy activities in specific districts, intensifying local waste management needs and environmental monitoring efforts.
Analysts also noted that, at the close of 2021, certain sectors appeared comparatively cleaner in terms of production waste. The production of non metallic mineral products, along with water supply and waste treatment, stood out as areas with relatively lower waste generation. This pattern suggests opportunities for cross sector learning and transfer of best practices in industrial efficiency and waste minimization across industries with similar processes and supply chains.
Meanwhile, in the scientific front, researchers in the Krasnoyarsk Science Center and collaborators from other institutes reported progress in plastic waste transformation. They announced a novel method to convert plastic waste into hydrocarbons suitable for use in the petrochemical sector. The development lays groundwork for closing material loops and diversifying feedstock streams for polymers and other chemical products, while attention remains on scalability, economic viability, and environmental safeguards during the conversion process.