Dangerous dust pollution

The three thermal power-stations operating on oil-shale fuel in Estonia together with the cement factory annually emit 200.000 tons of dust into the air. The table presented by the author shows the content of chemical elements in the dust (g/t) and the quantities of these elements (in kilograms) in the 200.000 tons of dust emission. It is revealed that every year 43.520 tons of calcium, 30.420 tons of silicon, 32.700 kg of lead, 9026 kg of arsenic, 1160 kg of uranium, etc. are emitted into the atmosphere. Big changes have been detected in the properties of the soils on an area of several thousand square kilometers. An especially dangerous role is played by the dust emission in polluting the waters of lakes, rivers and the gulf of Finland. All that points to only one conclusion - it is indispensable to drastically reduce the pollution of nature with dust emission. (author). 9 refs., tab