[Summary translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"We are suffocating": environmental problems of Armyansk, October 01, 2019
Crimean Titan produces titanium dioxide. The production of titanium dioxide itself is very outdated. It involves cooling of the mixture through heat exchange. Water is used for cooling. In case of insufficient cooling, sulphur dioxide can be emitted. There is clearly not enough water in Titan's system. Sulfur dioxide SO2 is dangerous for skin, mucous membranes and respiratory tract.

The cause of the problems in the northern Crimea lies not so much in large-scale production, but in violation of the operating conditions of an old acid reservoir. It is located near Titan plant - the concentration of acids in this "lake" can reach 10%....

[In] recent years, Titan plant has not used water from the available wells. This has led to an increase in the concentration of acids in the storage tank, reaching 15% and sometimes 20%, exceeding twice the norm (and the norm was already very controversial). This has resulted in unprecedented emissions of sulphur dioxide vapour, which for the second year in a row, when the average daily air temperature is rising, is being felt by people in Armyansk.

Hydrogen chloride. It has irritant and general toxic effects. It causes eczema, affects the respiratory system and the digestive tract. The acid reservoir of Titan plant is filled with an impressive "bouquet" of Mendeleev's table. The tank has been in operation for more than 30 years, and over the years a variety of wastes have been dumped there...

Due to the shortage of water for the acid storage tank, eight new wells were drilled on the plant's territory from the deep non-potable horizon, bringing the total to 15. They began pumping out water and adding it to the sump. This was not enough, as the acid storage tank requires five times more water. In addition, some of these wells have stopped producing water this year, which is a bad symptom of another problem. There is a decrease in the volume of artesian water, and it is from artesian wells that Armiansk is supplied. The town has two wells, located about 15 kilometres from Armiansk, behind Titan plant. A third well was installed in 2016, but it is still not operational. After active pumping of water for the technical needs of the plant, Armyansk simply lacks drinking water.