U.VA. HELPING TO DISSIPATE ENVIRONMENTAL POISONS IN ESTONIA

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 6 -- The demise of the Cold War
has left Estonia with widespread pollution problems -- many caused
by the former occupation of Soviet troops. 
	The northeastern section of the country, considered the most
polluted area on the European continent, contains large quantities
of nuclear and radioactive wastes, rocket fuels and
petroleum-related products in cities and at former military bases.
	Working through the University of Virginia's Center for
Study of Mind and Human Interaction (CSMHI), George J. Moein,
director of U.Va.'s Hazardous Materials Management Institute, is
leading an effort to address Estonia's environmental concerns. 	
	 Among the problems he identified this year through a series
of meetings and on-site visits are the presence of large volumes of
fly ash containing heavy metals and other contaminants, high levels
of radio-active waste, poorly containerized nuclear waste and large
volumes of hazardous waste from years of unmanaged disposal
practices in the northern tier of the country stretching from the
city of Narva at the eastern border with Russia to Tallinn, across
the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki.
	Another source of environmental problems that deeply impacts
the socio-economic fiber of the country is the presence of more than
500 abandoned military bases formerly occupied by the Soviet Union.
The open areas contain highly toxic rocket fuel, other oily wastes
and chemical contaminants. 
	"The amount of radiation is 10,000 times acceptable levels
-- at sites immediately adjacent to housing projects.  Neighborhood
children run through these sites.  I've been at 700 environmental
disaster sites, including Love Canal in the U.S. in 1970 and in
Kuwait after the Persian War, but I've never seen anything like
this.  It is a nightmare," said Moein, who just left Estonia on Nov.
11.
	Northeast Estonia suffers from severe air pollution
problems.  The Baltic and Estonian thermal power plants, near the
town of Narva, have outmoded air purifying equipment and are heated
with low-grade oil shale with high ash content.  An estimated
300,000 tons of dust are emitted into the atmosphere annually.
Other principal sources of pollution in northeast Estonia are two
oil shale processing plants, a mineral fertilizer plant and several
factories involved with production of construction material,
chrome-leather goods and chemical-metallurgical processing.  "The
environmental concerns are critical because of the enormous impact
they have on public health," said Moein, who noted that the
widespread pollution affects air, water, soil and ground water.
	"As horrific as the Estonian health and environmental
problems are, they would require billions of dollars and years of
concerted effort to be mitigated to a lower level of threat," said
Moein, who has instead, been working on developing realistic
remedial options.  
	In selecting options such recommendations as rebuilding the
country's infrastructure, constructing a hazardous waste disposal
facility, modernizing industrial plants and providing long-term
medical monitoring to employees and those in affected neighborhoods
were ruled out because of the enormity of costs.
	Consequently, among the top proposals are a further
investigation of pollution related to the abandoned military bases
and development of plans to rehabilitate the land.  Through this
process certain parts of bases containing high levels of toxic
wastes or chemical warfare agents would be cordoned off, helping to
avoid exposure to children and adults. 
	 Moein also proposes two-week train-the-trainer programs to
help Estonians conduct assessments by themselves. In recognition of
successful training programs U.Va.'s Hazardous Materials Management
Institute has conducted in the past, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency recently awarded Moein funding to develop
environmental-training modules for use in Eastern Europe.
	Other key proposals include offering technical assistance
for implementing clean technologies in the oil shale industry.
"Basic technologies and training available in the U.S. can be
transferred to ease the existing situation and to establish a
framework for better environmental management practices," said
Moein, who conducts EPA-supported, disaster-training workshops
throughout the U.S. through U.Va's Division of Continuing Education.
	As an example, he cited an open elevated pond above Narva
that stores more than 1.2 billion liters of liquid wastes.  He said
that locals can be trained in how to treat contaminated water
through large-scale chemical precipitation processes and to shore up
the banks through cost-effective engineering techniques.  In
addition, U.Va. faculty can share information on waste reduction,
minimization and destruction as well as alternative technology
programs. 
	 "Our technology and training manuals can easily be
translated and used as a basis for long-term technology transfer,"
Moein said.  
	His work in Estonia has been supported by public and private
funds given to U.Va.'s Center for Study of Mind and Human
Interaction.
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December 5, 1995
	FOR MORE INFORMATION Moein can be reached at (804) 982-5273
or via gjm4f@virginia.edu.