The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022: on that date, the military offensive of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the country began. The war in Ukraine, which has therefore been going on for more than two months now, has also had many consequences on our lives.
The horror of war has manifested itself before our eyes, albeit filtered through the lenses of the media and social networks. We saw the dead, the wounded, the rubble, the bombs. The thousands of refugees forced to flee, many even in our country. Behind them they leave behind a destroyed nation, devastation and also a lot of pollution, atmospheric and otherwise. Long-term effects that will only be fully understood in years’ time.
The death took the form of bomb and missile attacks that killed men, animals and even devastated entire forests. There is a lot of waste produced by the conflict: rubble, rubble, toxic dust, cars, wood…
The war also touched the area of the Chernobyl power plant for a short time. The famous nuclear power plant that was the protagonist of an unprecedented environmental disaster, after forty years has been the scene of clashes, acts of guerrilla warfare, very dangerous because they are carried out in an area where there is still the possibility of touching nuclear reactors, with harmful consequences for all of Europe.
Asbestos pollution
Another serious impact on the environment has been and is being had by the bombs dropped every day on cities. We are talking about highly polluting explosives, capable of releasing toxic gases into the air, heavy metals, carcinogenic substances that make the air unbreathable with dramatic consequences for everyone.
We also know that the asbestos problem in Ukraine is particularly present, since this material was only banned in the country’s construction industry in 2020. Before that date, it was built using it and now, among the rubble, it is everywhere. In cities destroyed by bombs like Mariupol, you will certainly find tons of materials containing asbestos fibers.
Asbestos is a real danger to humans, since it is composed of microfibers that are released from the friable construction components and that can be easily inhaled, causing even serious diseases of the respiratory system. For this reason, the use of asbestos in Italy was banned in 1992, with Law no. 257 of March 1992. But before this date, it was also widely used in our constructions. For this reason, very careful management is required.
