A dangerous pesticide dump has been found again on the banks of the Oka River near Dzerzhinsk.

      April 29, 2026 13:00 IncidentsVacationers have once again discovered containers with chemical waste on the banks of the Oka River near Dzerzhinsk. This was reported in the program "By the Way..." (16+).

      This is not a new waste dump; disputes over it occurred 16 years ago. At that time, the management of the company "Spetsplav NN," which dealt with waste disposal in the 2000s, was held accountable and fined 270,000 rubles. The company was also required to carry out proper disposal, but the work was never completed. The damage was estimated at 14 million rubles.

      Later, the court imposed the obligation to organize the disposal on Rosimushchestvo. Despite this, the waste was not eliminated, and the site was transferred from federal to regional ownership. After inspections by the prosecutor's office and investigations, the situation did not change.

      In 2023, a criminal case was initiated under the article on negligence of officials due to the failure to carry out measures to eliminate the dump. The case was of interest to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin.

      Currently, there are about 700 tons of toxic waste on the site. In 2009, pesticides were extracted from the soil and repackaged into bags. Since 2010, they have been stored in a hangar near the shore.

      According to ecologist Dmitry Levashov, the containers hold several hundred tons of outdated pesticides of hazard classes I-III. The hangar is privately owned, but the waste itself is state property and is subject to disposal.

      The containers are located near the banks of the Oka River. The metal has rusted, the hangar is not airtight, and precipitation and wind contribute to the spread of pollutants. There is a risk of toxins entering the groundwater, which flows towards the river, with drinking water intakes located downstream.

      The regional Ministry of Ecology informed journalists from "By the Way" that project documentation for the elimination of the dump is currently being developed. Specific deadlines have not been provided.

      Earlier, it was reported that the director of a Nizhny Novgorod firm was fined for fictitious waste disposal. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+