The seminar "problematic issues of  Ecology & Earth protection zones: setting and using of industrial lands within their limits" was organised in Krasnogorsk by the Moscow Region Business Ombudsman Vladimir Golovnev in coordination with Moscow Region Rospotrebnadzor department.

    This seminar was attended by  businesses having manufacturing facilities and therefore making  impact somehow on the environment and human health.

    According to the Russian ecology legislation, all the facilities must be located within Ecology & Earth protection zones.

    A number of federal laws and regulations were amended accordingly.

This applies above all to the enterprises of 1-3 Hazard Class with exceeded level of exposure.

    The head of Moscow Regional Ecology Supervision Department of Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Body responsible Health, Ecology & Earth protection) Tatiana Gazieva presented to participants a vision about the main purpose of the Eco & Earth protection zones. “This is, first of all, an important measure to minimize the negative impact on nearby population, be a special eco barrier. Thus, it’s crucial to designate such zones”, indicated Gazieva. As she said, the construction of any buildings is prohibited in these zones, that was announced to all businesses earlier.  They should set up the health - protection zones by 1st October this year. Unfortunately, the current situation is still highly unsatisfactory. According to the regional Rospotrebnadzor department, over 10 thousand enterprises, which operate in Moscow Region, need appropriate protection zones to be settled urgently. Only 4,41% of this enterprises provided required documents. These facilities are source of chemical, physical, biological exposure on human environment. Thus, over 95% of objects that are highly recommended of health - protection zones being settled have never applied for its establishment. But entrepreneurs should be aware anyway of losing all their grounds in a dispute case in the future, if they will not set the health - protection zone till 1st January 2020.

    The Moscow Region Business Ombudsman Vladimir Golovnev also considered that this issue has many contradictions. - This subject was the main topic at the XII Business Ombudsmen All-Russian Conference last year. Then I expressed my concerns to the Chief of the Federal Supervision Consumers Protection and Human well-being Service of the extra expenses for the businessmen obliged to enforce the rules. Being limited in time the entrepreneurs need to pay project development of health - protection projects. But, these simple projects value as more as over 100 thousands of rubles sometimes. Unfortunately, our proposal remains unanswered among federal legislators - noted Vladimir Golovnev. Following the official part, it was "feedback" time at the meeting when businessmen could discuss their concerns of health - protection zones maintenance.

    The meeting was conducted in a very constructive spirit and resulted in productive outcomes. The businessmen were provided with authorities extensive comments and assured of situation shortly to be stabilized and improved.