Support The Moscow Times!

Locals Overwhelmingly Oppose Landfill in Russia’s North — Poll

Vkontakte / pnparh

An overwhelming majority of residents in northern Russia oppose the construction of a controversial waste dump that has catalyzed protests in the region for over a year, according to an independent survey.

Plans to ship over 2 million tons of garbage a year from Moscow to the abandoned Arkhangelsk region settlement of Shiyes have drawn fierce opposition among locals. Moscow City Hall has halted construction of the $160 million facility pending public hearings and needed approvals.

A total of 95% of respondents in Arkhangelsk region oppose the landfill’s construction, according to the independent Levada Center polling agency’s results published Monday.

Almost half of the landfill’s opponents said they were willing to attend authorized demonstrations against its construction, and one-quarter said they would take the streets even if the authorities didn’t issue a permit.

When asked to list the reasons for their opposition to the landfill, 70% of opponents named concerns with the environment and 57% cited the authorities’ lack of coordination with residents and ecologists. Fifty-five percent said the waste dump would affect their health and 39% said that waste storage is an inefficient method of trash disposal regardless of location.

Only 3% of the respondents supported the controversial construction in Shiyes. They named employment opportunities (70%), increased budget revenue (53%) and confidence in the technology’s safety (47%) as their biggest reasons for supporting the project.

Levada conducted the survey among 1,008 Arkhangelsk region residents at an unknown date.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more