Caspian Sea 2011

2010

In relation to agriculture, chemicals used in fer- tilizers and pesticides include chlorinated pesti- cides, notably DDT and HCHs. These are mainly used in small-scale farming enterprises along the coastline of the Caspian Sea and in its freshwater deltas in Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. As a result, there has been an increase in run offs of these pollutants into the Caspian Sea. The use of banned pesticides such as DDT is commonly re- ported in the region and such products seem to be widely available. Recent infestations of locusts in the Russian Federation and in Kazakhstan re- sulted in aerial spraying of DDT-based pesticides in these countries. Newly established farms are also dependent on a large-scale use of pesticides, and also irrigation, in order to ensure adequate production. At present, environmentally harmful pesticides are both cheap and readily available on the local market throughout the Caspian Eco- nomic Hinterland (CEH), whereas modern and less damaging alternatives are relatively expen- sive, and therefore seldom used by poor farmers. Industrial discharges are a substantial con- tributor to pollution in the Caspian Sea. The problem is linked to wastewater treatment plants which, due to economic difficulties, have not been updated and, if they function at all, are very inefficient. While substantial areas of the Caspian Sea such as its northern, mid and southeastern parts have not been affected by oil pollution, this is an acute problem around the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan, in the waters outside Hazar in Turkmenistan, and in Atyrau in Kazakhstan. Though it is difficult to quality- control, accidental spills, improved technologies and trained staff could reduce the risks of future large-scale disasters as well as sporadic smaller spills. Modernization of technology and infra- structure is also urgently needed to offset leak- ages in older or abandoned oil wells. It is generally agreed that the main part of the total pollution load in the Caspian comes from the Volga, Ural and Kura rivers. The contribu- tion, in terms of pollution, of the Terek, Samur and other rivers in Iran is relatively low, although

their regional impact is considerable, due to the specific water circulation mode. A peculiarity of the area is that the bulk of toxic substances originating in the Volga River are deposited in its delta and in the adjacent sea area, while toxic substances of the Ural River are deposited in the eutrophic environment system of the shallow northern part of the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijan: Baku, the capital, and surround- ing communities including part of the Absheron peninsula, is home to more than a third of the country’s population and two thirds of its indus- trial production (ENVSEC 2004). Official statistics

Discharge of selected pollutants

V

V

b a

b a

o l g

o l g

m

m

E

E

a g a

a

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

K u r

K u r

k s

k s

r a

r a

a

a

A

A

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

k

k

a

a

r

r

t

t

A

A

IRAN

IRAN

V

V

b a

b a

o l g

o l g

m

m

E

E

a

a

KAZAKHSTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN

K u r

K u r

a

a

TURKMENISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

k

k

a

a

r

r

t

t

A

A

IRAN

IRAN

800 000 Tonnes per year

150 000 85 000

5 000

Source: CEP, Caspian Water Quality Monitoring and Action Plan for Areas of Pollution Concern, 2009.

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