Not elder law: Eco-disaster threatens world’s oldest lake

After years of protests, environmentalists atLake Baikal have a reason to celebrate. Russia’s environmentalprotection agency Rosprirodnadzor has begun legal moves to stop work ata nearby pulp and paper plant, which is polluting the world’s largestfreshwater lake.  Despite numerous warnings, the plant has continued to pour wastewaterinto the world’s oldest and deepest lake – known as the blue eye ofSiberia.  Scientists estimate the lake’s age at 25 million years. It’s the oldest in the world. Bigger than some European countries, Baikal contains nearly a fifth ofthe world’s fresh water, more than in the Great Lakes combined.  “The Pearl of Siberia” is the fanciful Russian name for Lake Baikal.Some Siberians believe it has a healing, mystical quality. But there isnothing soothing or spiritual about the environmental controversysurrounding the lake.  A paper mill built in the town of Baikalsk on the shore has been aconsistent source of contamination for the lake. The mill useshazardous chlorine technology for bleaching paper, resulting in thepresence of many toxic pollutants, such as dioxins.    The ecology watchdog estimated that their concentration exceed the normby a thousand times. The government has long turned a blind eye to theproblem. Now it seems to be changing its attitude.

Source/more:   Russia Today, http://www.russiatoday.ru/features/news/17945