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Cases / Water use · Russia · 2020–2022

Avacha Bay marine die-off, Kamchatka, autumn 2020

Nature's voice · report
In autumn 2020 a bloom of Karenia species covered more than 300 × 100 km of my coastal waters for about two months, with nearly total mortality at 5–20 m depth, according to Orlova et al. (Harmful Algae, 2022).
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record. Disputed
Recorded
  • Divers of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve reported 95% of my benthos dead, according to Kommersant. Kommersant
  • Rosprirodnadzor reported iron, phenol and phosphate in the rivers flowing into my Avacha Gulf at 2.2 to 10.8 times permissible limits, according to Kommersant. Kommersant
  • The Kamchatka government said in February 2022 that my bottom communities were beginning to recover. EastRussia
What the record lacks: 5 none on record · 1 not disclosed · 1 insufficient · 5 disputed See the gaps
Accounts of the harm differ
Cause of the die-off
  • Researchers Andrei Adrianov, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences: The natural phenomenon is to blame. Kommersant
  • Researchers Orlova et al., Harmful Algae (2022): A bloom of Karenia species over more than 300 × 100 km lasting about two months; dominant species Karenia selliformis. Orlova T. Yu. et al.
  • Government and regulators Rosprirodnadzor: No man-made cause found after 5,000 studies; 292 samples, 116 over limits (Ministry of Natural Resources). Kommersant
  • Government and regulators Kamchatka government, February 2022: Simultaneous mass growth of several dinoflagellate species, up to 700 thousand cells per litre. EastRussia
  • Researchers Anton Georgiev, Moscow State University researcher: Karenia toxins act weakly on invertebrates; he suggested oxygen depletion after the bloom. Kommersant
  • Communities and civil society Greenpeace Russia: An ecological catastrophe; its satellite images suggested a river carried toxins, with a first release on 9 September. Kommersant
  • Communities and civil society WWF Russia: The red-tide explanation is quite possible, but officials had not published phytoplankton or biological sample data. Kommersant
  • Government and regulators Pacific Fleet: Denied using heavy equipment at the Kozelsky and Radygino ranges that summer. Kommersant
  • Government and regulators Vladimir Solodov, Governor of Kamchatka Krai: The landfill will be recultivated regardless of whether there was a leak. Interfax
  • Press and investigations Kam24, October 2022: The landfill was ruled not to be the cause. Kam24

In September and October 2020 the water off Khalaktyrsky beach in Avacha Bay discolored and dead marine animals washed ashore. A study co-authored by Russian Academy of Sciences Vice-President Andrei Adrianov described a Karenia algal bloom; Greenpeace Russia and others pointed to the Kozelsky pesticide landfill and military ranges. The money on record is the budget for clearing the landfill.

About RUB 134 million estimateRegional estimate for recultivating the Kozelsky pesticide landfill (October 2022)
A tender of RUB 50,965,960 for surveys and design was announced in May 2021. A fine or compensation tied to the die-off: none on record.

Status As of October 2022: recultivation of the landfill estimated at about RUB 134 million and awaiting federal funds; the criminal case had no outcome on record.

What?
In September and October 2020 the water off Khalaktyrsky beach in Avacha Bay, Kamchatka, discolored and dead marine animals washed ashore; researchers described a Karenia algal bloom and other parties pointed to the Kozelsky pesticide landfill or military ranges. Interfax
Where?
Avacha Bay (Avachinsky Gulf), near Khalaktyrsky beach and the Babya, Bolshaya Lagernaya and Malaya Lagernaya bays, within Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yelizovsky district, Kamchatka Krai; the Kozelsky landfill is about 35 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Interfax
When?
From 1 September to 3 October 2020 according to the criminal case; satellite-based bloom duration about two months; criminal case opened 7 October 2020. Interfax
Who?
Gained
  • Federal Ecological Operator — Expected to carry out the liquidation of the Kozelsky landfill under the November 2020 proposal AiF-Kamchatka
Lost
  • Kamchatka regional budget — Tender of RUB 50,965,960 for surveys and design documentation; RUB 361 million proposed from the reserve fund Kamchatka.live
Harmed
  • Bottom communities of Avacha Bay — Nearly total mortality at 5–20 m depth; 95% of benthos reported dead by reserve divers Orlova T. Yu. et al.
  • Surfers and bathers — Chemical corneal burns; 11 people sought care according to the regional government and 19 according to the Federal Medical-Biological Agency Interfax
Why?
Disputed: the Russian Academy of Sciences Vice-President and co-authors of the Orlova et al. study, Rosprirodnadzor and the regional government named a natural cause or a harmful algal bloom; Greenpeace Russia and others suspected pollution from the Kozelsky landfill or military ranges. Kommersant
How?
The regional government proposed RUB 361 million from the reserve fund for the landfill in November 2020; the landfill entered the federal register of accumulated environmental harm in March 2021; a RUB 50,965,960 tender followed in May 2021 and a recultivation estimate of about RUB 134 million in October 2022. Interfax
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

From early September to 3 October 2020, according to the Investigative Committee's description of the criminal case, pollution affected Avacha Bay near Khalaktyrsky beach and the Babya, Bolshaya Lagernaya and Malaya Lagernaya bays. The water discolored and dead bottom animals, including echinoderms, washed ashore. Two surfers suffered chemical corneal burns; the regional government said 11 people sought care and the regional health ministry had earlier reported nine people with first-degree chemical corneal burns. The Federal Medical-Biological Agency reported 19 people in hospital, with urine, blood and hair tests showing no heavy metals or other man-made pollutants (Kommersant).

The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on 7 October 2020 under Article 247 part 2 (handling of environmentally hazardous substances and waste) and Article 252 part 2 (marine pollution) of the Criminal Code, saying the pollution involved petroleum-containing components, including phenol. Rosprirodnadzor reported iron, phenol and phosphate in rivers flowing into Avacha Gulf at 2.2 to 10.8 times permissible limits; the Ministry of Natural Resources said 116 of 292 samples exceeded limits. Rosprirodnadzor said that its 5,000 studies, including at the Kozelsky landfill, found no evidence of a man-made cause.

Researchers including Russian Academy of Sciences Vice-President Andrei Adrianov (Orlova et al., Harmful Algae, 2022) described a bloom of Karenia species over more than 300 × 100 km that lasted about two months, with nearly total mortality at 5–20 m depth; the dominant species was Karenia selliformis. The Kamchatka government said in February 2022 that several dinoflagellate species had grown at once, up to 700 thousand cells per litre, and that bottom communities were starting to recover. Greenpeace Russia called the event an ecological catastrophe and said its satellite images suggested a river carried toxins, with a first release on 9 September. Divers of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve reported that 95% of the benthos was dead.

The Kozelsky landfill, about 35 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, holds about 108 tonnes of pesticides, including about 20 tonnes of arsenic compounds, buried in 1979–1982 and sealed with geomembrane in 2010. The regional government said the enterprises involved no longer existed and that no archival records of quantities survived. An inspection on 6 October 2020 found the outer perimeter fence breached and no visible signs of a pesticide spill. Governor Vladimir Solodov said the landfill would be recultivated regardless of whether there had been a leak.

In November 2020 the region proposed allocating RUB 361 million from its reserve fund to liquidate the landfill. In March 2021 the Minister of Natural Resources signed an order adding the landfill to the state register of accumulated environmental harm, opening an application for federal funds. In May 2021 the regional ministry tendered surveys and design documentation at RUB 50,965,960 from the regional budget, and in October 2022 it put recultivation at about RUB 134 million, planned for 2023 if federal funds were allocated.

  1. 2020Discoloured water and dead marine animals off Khalaktyrsky beach (1 Sep to 3 Oct, per the Investigative Committee); criminal case opened (7 Oct); landfill perimeter fence found breached (6 Oct); Kommersant reports officials' and scientists' versions (23 Oct); regional government proposes RUB 361 million from the reserve fund for the landfill (26 Nov)
  2. 2021Landfill added to the state register of accumulated environmental harm (Mar); tender of RUB 50,965,960 for surveys and design (May)
  3. 2022Kamchatka government names a multi-species dinoflagellate bloom (Feb); Orlova et al. published in Harmful Algae; recultivation estimated at about RUB 134 million (27 Oct)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“If we answer the age-old Russian question of who is to blame: the natural phenomenon is to blame”

Andrei Adrianov, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, quoted by Kommersant · October 2020 · translated from Russian · Kommersant

“will be recultivated regardless of whether there was a leak”

Vladimir Solodov, Governor of Kamchatka Krai, on the Kozelsky landfill · October 2020 · translated from Russian · Interfax

“Visually, there are no signs of a pesticide spill”

Inspection of the Kozelsky landfill, 6 October 2020, as reported by Interfax · October 2020 · translated from Russian · Interfax

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

Cause of the die-off
Researchers
Andrei Adrianov, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The natural phenomenon is to blame.

Kommersant
Researchers
Orlova et al., Harmful Algae (2022)

A bloom of Karenia species over more than 300 × 100 km lasting about two months; dominant species Karenia selliformis.

Orlova T. Yu. et al.
Government and regulators
Rosprirodnadzor

No man-made cause found after 5,000 studies; 292 samples, 116 over limits (Ministry of Natural Resources).

Kommersant
Government and regulators
Kamchatka government, February 2022

Simultaneous mass growth of several dinoflagellate species, up to 700 thousand cells per litre.

EastRussia
Researchers
Anton Georgiev, Moscow State University researcher

Karenia toxins act weakly on invertebrates; he suggested oxygen depletion after the bloom.

Kommersant
Communities and civil society
Greenpeace Russia

An ecological catastrophe; its satellite images suggested a river carried toxins, with a first release on 9 September.

Kommersant
Communities and civil society
WWF Russia

The red-tide explanation is quite possible, but officials had not published phytoplankton or biological sample data.

Kommersant
Government and regulators
Pacific Fleet

Denied using heavy equipment at the Kozelsky and Radygino ranges that summer.

Kommersant
Government and regulators
Vladimir Solodov, Governor of Kamchatka Krai

The landfill will be recultivated regardless of whether there was a leak.

Interfax
Press and investigations
Kam24, October 2022

The landfill was ruled not to be the cause.

Kam24
Number of people affected
Government and regulators
Kamchatka regional government

11 people sought care.

Interfax
Government and regulators
Kamchatka regional health ministry

Earlier: nine people with first-degree chemical corneal burns.

Interfax
Government and regulators
Federal Medical-Biological Agency

19 people sought hospital care; tests of urine, blood and hair found no heavy metals or other man-made pollutants.

Kommersant
Communities and civil society
A surf-school founder

Over 200 people were affected.

Interfax
Area of the Kozelsky landfill
Press and investigations
Interfax

2.8 ha.

Interfax
Press and investigations
Kamchatka.live

7.03 ha.

Kamchatka.live

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

  • The landfill to be recultivated 'after the pollution of the ocean' (headline wording)
    Interfax, 7 October 2020 · Interfax
  • A natural phenomenon as the cause
    Russian Academy of Sciences Vice-President Andrei Adrianov, October 2020 · Kommersant
  • An ecological catastrophe, with satellite images suggesting a river carried toxins
    Greenpeace Russia, as reported by Kommersant · Kommersant

Recorded

  • A criminal case was opened on 7 October 2020 under Articles 247 part 2 and 252 part 2 of the Criminal Code; no outcome is on record.
    Interfax
  • A fine, compensation payment or Rosprirodnadzor damage calculation for the die-off: none on record.
    Interfax
  • The landfill was added to the state register of accumulated environmental harm in March 2021.
    Interfax
  • Tender value for surveys and design: RUB 50,965,960 (May 2021); recultivation estimate about RUB 134 million (October 2022).
    Kamchatka.live

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
Fine, compensation or damage calculation tied to the die-off—
None on record.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
Reserve-fund allocation proposed for liquidating the Kozelsky landfill (November 2020)361m
Tender for surveys and design documentation, Kozelsky landfill (May 2021, regional budget)51m
Recultivation of the Kozelsky landfill (regional ministry estimate, October 2022)≈ 134m
Planned for 2023 if federal funds were allocated.
Currency: RUB · Window: 2020–2022. All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.

Responses on record

  • rosprirodnadzor (23 October 2020): Its head, Svetlana Radionova, said no man-made cause had been found; the agency reported 5,000 studies, including at the Kozelsky landfill. · Kommersant
  • russian-academy-of-sciences (October 2020; 2022): Vice-President Andrei Adrianov attributed the event to a natural phenomenon; Orlova et al. (2022) described a Karenia bloom. · Kommersant
  • kamchatka-krai-government (October 2020; February 2022): Named a simultaneous mass growth of several dinoflagellate species at up to 700 thousand cells per litre (minister Alexey Kumarkov); the Governor said the landfill would be recultivated regardless of a leak. · EastRussia
  • pacific-fleet-russia (October 2020): Denied using heavy equipment at the Kozelsky and Radygino ranges that summer. · Kommersant
  • wwf-russia (October 2020): Said the red-tide explanation was quite possible, but that officials had not published phytoplankton or biological sample data. · Kommersant
  • greenpeace (October 2020): Greenpeace Russia called the event an ecological catastrophe and said its satellite images suggested a river carried toxins, with a first release on 9 September. · Kommersant

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

  1. 2020–No defendant left
    Criminal case over marine pollution off Kamchatka
    Investigative Committee of Russia · Criminal · Investigative Committee → No defendant named in the sources

    A criminal case was opened on 7 October 2020 under Article 247 part 2 (violation of rules for handling environmentally hazardous substances and waste) and Article 252 part 2 (marine pollution) of the Criminal Code. Investigators said the pollution involved petroleum-containing components, including phenol, between 1 September and 3 October 2020. No termination, suspension or court outcome is on record. Interfax

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What nature saw

Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

Bloom extent
More than 300 × 100 km
About two months; nearly total mortality at 5–20 m depth (Orlova et al., 2022)
Benthos dead
95%
Reported by Kronotsky Nature Reserve divers (Kommersant)
People who sought care
11 to 19
Regional government 11; Federal Medical-Biological Agency 19
Fine or compensation for the die-off
None on record
The money on record is the landfill clean-up budget

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
No court case

Nature

Money

  • None on record Fine, compensation or damage calculation tied to the die-off — None on record.

Accounts

Record

  • Disputed Disputed: the cause. The Russian Academy of Sciences Vice-President, Rosprirodnadzor and the regional government named a natural cause or a harmful algal bloom; Greenpeace Russia, activists and early media pointed to the Kozelsky landfill or military ranges. Kam24 later wrote that the landfill was ruled not to be the cause.
  • None on record None on record: the outcome of the Investigative Committee's criminal case after its opening on 7 October 2020.
  • None on record None on record: a fine, compensation payment or damage calculation by Rosprirodnadzor for the 2020 die-off.
  • None on record None on record: insurance linked to the die-off.
  • Not disclosed Not disclosed: phytoplankton and biological sample data had not been published by officials at the time, according to WWF Russia (via Kommersant).
  • None on record None on record: archival records of the substances buried at Kozelsky; the regional government said none survive.
  • Insufficient Insufficient: the 2022 recultivation depended on federal funds that had not yet been allocated (Kam24).
  • Disputed Figures differ: the landfill area is 2.8 ha in Interfax and 7.03 ha in Kamchatka.live.

Did the harm stop?

The Investigative Committee dated the pollution from 1 September to 3 October 2020. The Kamchatka government said in February 2022 that bottom communities were beginning to recover.

Who paid?

None on record for the die-off. Public budgets were proposed and tendered for the Kozelsky landfill: RUB 361 million proposed from the reserve fund, RUB 50,965,960 for surveys and design from the regional budget, and about RUB 134 million estimated for recultivation.

Sources

Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society✓ Researchers

Press and investigations

Researchers

Connected cases

Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
Terms used on this page

Bonds and banking

Liquidation, insolvency, bankruptcy
Legal processes that apply when a company cannot pay its debts; its assets are sold and claims against it may go unpaid.

Science and environment

Hectare (ha)
A unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres, about 2.5 acres. 100 hectares make one square kilometre.
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