Which cities in Russia are most dominated by heavy industry and are also the worst polluted?
The most polluted town/city in Russia is Norilsk (Northern Siberia). The smelting is directly responsible for severe pollution, generally acid rain and smog. By some estimates, 1 percent of the entire global emissions of sulphur dioxide come from this one city. Heavy metal pollution near Norilsk is so severe that it is now economically feasible to mine the soil, as a result of acquiring high concentrations of platinum and palladium through pollution. It is estimated that 4 million tons of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium and zinc are released into the air every year plus radioisotopes strontium-90, and caesium-137. Approximately 134,000 people – over half of the current population – are affected by the severe air pollution. Life expectancy is at least 10 years below that averaged in other Russian cities. Children and pregnant women living near the plant are the most affected, being 1.5 times more likely to become ill. Expectant mothers often deliver prematurely and have
