Krasnoyarsk launches cleanup of toxic WWII-era industrial waste site
Authorities in Krasnoyarsk have opened a tender to clean up a hazardous waste site tied to the old Sibtyazhmash plant. The landfill, covering 2,590 square metres, holds industrial waste from decades of heavy machinery production. The Ministry of Ecology is overseeing the project, which aims to prepare the area for future redevelopment. The waste site originated from the Sibtyazhmash plant, founded in 1941 to manufacture mortars and shells during World War II. After the war, it became the Siberian Heavy Machinery Plant, specialising in large cranes until its bankruptcy in 2011. The landfill now sits on the state’s register of accumulated environmental damage.
An earlier attempt to secure cleanup services failed, prompting a new procurement process worth 20.28 million rubles. The chosen contractor will conduct engineering surveys and draft a detailed remediation plan. This includes securing approval from state environmental reviewers and an independent cost assessment. Plans for the site’s future have already taken shape. A 2022 master plan proposed transforming the area into residential neighbourhoods. However, the exact boundaries and total volume of waste still require verification before work can begin.
The project marks a step toward addressing long-standing environmental risks at the former industrial site. Once remediated, the land could be repurposed for housing, depending on further assessments. The tender’s outcome will determine the next stages of cleanup and redevelopment.
