Arnika - Toxics Free Kazakhstan Expedition 2014

The dust from the waste pond can fly kilometres due to the wind.

The lake is being gradually filled by soil

What kinds of substances posing a threat to local people’s health can be found in the waste ponds?

Samples taken by experts Jan Nezhyba from Arnika and Martin Bystrianský from The Institute of Chemical Technology from the nearby river Aksu.

Cow herds are grazing along the banks of the river Aksu, the locals take not only their milk but also their meat.

In the forefront are representatives of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The local people showed quite an interest in the information provided...

Doctor Naila Dyusembaeva then talked about the effects of various toxic substances.

In the debate which followed, a dialog was started between the local public and the authorities.

During our afternoon sample taking we were accompanied by an inseparable cat and dog couple.

In a moment we’ll be several kilograms of samples heavier.

Or perhaps somebody would like to shed their responsibility and make some money in the course?

Not far from the railway track, next to one of the sample points, stands this underground shelter.

Mental preparation for wading through mud, water and reeds, where Jan Nezhyba is taking sediment samples.

For each sample it is substantial to provide data where it was taken and what will be the results of laboratory tests.

Calm down, Jan. In mere 12 hours we’ll be there!

The expedition is somewhere in the middle of no man’s territory.

The expedition’s vehicle, which played part in the Bosnia-Serbia conflict after which it had been sold, is just driving through Semey, formerly Semipalatinsk.

The past several hundred kilometres may have been an ugly rough road, but this is more like a dirt track. Its length?

Jan Nezhyba is just taking out sediment samples from the Irtysh river near Glubokoye.

A lake not far from the heaps was probably formed from a blind arm of the Irtysh river.

Toxic heaps right next to one of the largest rivers in Kazakhstan.

There used to be a saying: If there’s no chimney smoking it’s not a proper city.

About 80 kilometres from Glubokoye lies a beautiful natural lake, used by the local people as the base for pastime activities.

Some distance from industrialized sites, is this a romantic wild country?

We have to help each other.

Here the shashlik-chef is in the course of preparing it for us.

The eggs are from these chickens.

Most of the expedition, which arrived after 21 demanding hours, had their sleep and on Monday started for the lake Balkhash.

The factory on the banks of lake Balkhash is still standing.

Last year we didn’t have the time to take samples from all places at Balkhash, where many fishermen fish and where we expect high contamination.

Their guide was this ship pilot and fisherman.

Local people didn’t want to listen much to this.

The current foundry of non-ferrous metals Kazakhmys is in the background.

Another day and more sample gathering.

The Institute of Chemical Technology and other laboratories will establish from the contents of this flask whether and how much of polychlorobiphenyls get into the environment.

The director of the programme Toxics and Waste is writing on the sample box to match it exactly with the sample protocol and in order to avoid confusion.