Ukraine is facing serious environmental challenges. The problems that existed before the full-scale invasion have not disappeared, but new and larger ones have been added. A separate stack of environmental challenges also concerns the implementation of European environmental standards required for accession to the European Union.
EcoPolitic decided to highlight 5 environmental threats that are either ignored or do not receive proper attention from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine.
1. The problem of disposal of hazardous waste
Hazardous waste, including chemicals, batteries, and medical materials, is one of the most acute environmental problems. During a full-scale war under constant shelling, their storage sites became potential sources of additional threats to people and the environment.
As part of the reform of the field of waste management, the Ministry of Environment failed to ensure timely licensing of companies engaged in the disposal of this type of waste. So, from August 29 to November 26, for example, the department did not issue no (!) license for hazardous waste management. And for another collapse in this area, which started October 9, responded only on December 10. In the ministry developed another draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers, which provides for not the first extension of the validity period of submitted declarations regarding the implementation of waste treatment operations.
2. Air pollution in cities
In Ukraine, air quality remains far from ideal in many cities. Old cars have become one of the main sources of air pollution in populated areas. A large number of used cars came to Ukraine from Europe. Most of these vehicles are technically outdated and have high levels of harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and fine particles. The government has repeatedly tried to settle this issue, but the problem remains relevant. The Ministry does not pay attention to this at all.
In Kyiv, air quality traditionally deteriorates significantly in autumn also due to the burning of peat bogs and forests in the Chernobyl zone. The Ministry of Environment has not been able to ensure proper fire control in this area for many years. This is not surprising, since the officials of the "Northern Pushcha" DSP, which is subordinate to the State Agency of Ukraine for the Management of the Exclusion Zone, use a special car for traveling in Ukraine, and not for the protection of the nature reserve and forest fund in the exclusion zone.
Residents of Ukrainian cities sometimes complain to the ministry and eco-inspections about emissions from industrial enterprises for years before they wait for real protection of their right to a safe environment. In many cases, the Ministry of Environment is limited to only formal inspections, without any real impact on the situation.
Another aspect is air pollution during the burning of fallen leaves. And although fines for this type of violation have grown at times, units of protocols for violators are drawn up for the whole of Ukraine. That is, as if there is a rule of law, but no one monitors its observance.
3. Loss of biodiversity
Ukraine is home to many unique species of flora and fauna, but their numbers are rapidly decreasing. The main reasons are deforestation, pollution of water bodies, military actions and destruction of habitats. For example, tens of thousands of hectares of forest are cut down in the Carpathians every year, which endangers the existence of many species of plants and animals that are not found anywhere else in Ukraine.
In the same way, wildlife suffers due to excessive and uncontrolled plowing of steppe areas, coastal protection strips, violation of the regime of nature reserve fund objects. Numerous facts are recorded and made public by environmentalists and activists, but there is usually no response from the ministry. The Ministry of Environment is often limited to declarations, not paying enough attention to the fight against these violations.
4. Formality in the implementation of the state policy on extended producer responsibility (EPR)
At present, it is only mentioned in the Law of Ukraine “On Waste Management” and the state's approach to this issue is currently purely formal.
As of today, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine has developed draft laws for only two of the 7 categories of producers for which producer responsibility is provided:
- draft Law No. 10066 of 09.18.2023 “On Packaging and Packaging Waste” is currently being reviewed by the relevant committee;
- the draft Law No. 2350 of 30.10.2019 “On Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment” is currently withdrawn from consideration.
No other draft law on this area of regulation has been registered yet. As for the waste of decommissioned vehicles, tires, and textiles, no relevant projects have been developed at all.
Experts say that the ministry is not involved in the implementation of state policy on EPR at all.
5. Pollution of water bodies
Ukraine's rivers are vital arteries, but most of them are heavily polluted. They are constantly exposed to industrial and domestic effluents. The situation with drinking water supply became very complicated due to the destruction by the occupiers of the Kakhovskaya HPP dam in June 2023.
In September 2024, the capital's water supply was threatened due to an environmental disaster that the Russians staged on the Seim and Desna rivers, dumping untreated sugar factory effluent into the surface waters.
Ministry then silenced this colossal problem until the end, when videos from local residents about the plague of fish in watercourses began to appear en masse on the network. Just compare: on August 14, pollution was recorded in the water of the Seim River near the border with the Russian Federation, and only on August 28 did the Ministry of the Environment publish a video clip from the National Marathon "Edyny Novyny" broadcast, when it became impossible not to comment on the situation.
The lack of an effective water quality monitoring system on the part of the Ministry of Environment complicates the fight against this problem every year. This puts the drinking water supply of millions of Ukrainians at risk, especially given the climate changes to a more arid one.
To solve the problems we have listed, a systematic approach is needed, which will include stricter control, financial support, environmental education and active interaction with the public. Without proper attention, these challenges will only increase.
