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Risk of transboundary pollution

Procedures regarding the avoidance of industrial accidents, or the timely notification and clean up of them, are governed by the 1992 Helsinki Convention ‘On the transboundary impact of industrial accidents’, while issues connected with transboundary pollution and its risk minimisation are governed by other conventions (see Appendix 2).

A detailed overview of this problem, mandatory solution measures and implementation instruments are discussed in section `Transboundary pollution`.

High risk sources of transboundary pollution for Latvia are nuclear power plants in neighbouring countries, particularly Ignalina in the Republic of Lithuania. Nuclear power plants in Russia (‘Sosnovij Bor’ near St. Petersburg), Sweden, Finland, the Ukraine etc. are also considered hazardous, since Latvia is situated within their spheres of associated risk
(see Appendix 3). The main measures are:

International agreements on the exchange of information and co-operation in case of a possible accident.

Education and training for emergency situations of the inhabitants of neighbouring regions.

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Last updated: November 8, 1996. The information prepared by Valts Vilnitis: fuxis@varam.gov.lv