Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting, Moscow, Russia:

V. P. Drobadenko, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, drobadenko@mail.ru
O. A. Lukonina, Associate Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
K. S. Nekoz, Post-Graduate Student
I. N. Salakhov, Post-Graduate Student

The article gives the scientific and technical information on the discharge of solid and lowlevel radioactive waste, as well as on the dumping of chemical munitions in the Baltic Sea. In the Skagerrak and Kattegat Bays, the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition dumped about 300 thousand chemical bombs, shells, mines and technological containers. To neutralize the threat of the marine flora and fauna contamination with toxic and radioactive elements, a variety of technologies are offered, including lifting and burying of ships at great depths in the open ocean, opening of ship’s holds for the removal and destruction of dangerous contents, covering of “burial vessels” with various sarcophagi using unique technologies, etc. The prevailing opinion of experts is not to touch ships and chemical munitions, since the terminal depressurization of these objects may occur at the moment of their movement. The main development trends of these technologies are related with the isolation of submerged vessels directly on the sea floor by silting, filling and concreting. It is mentioned that all these methods have a general disadvantage — they involve ineffective operations which require continuous adjustment of the velocities and directions of flows for the correctness of flooding in specific conditions. In contrast to the cyclic mechanisms, the proposed successively implemented process flows using continuous-action facilities are the most effective. For their implementation, it is suggested to use hydrodynamic action machines (airlifts, ejectors, loading devices, submersible pneumatic chamber pumps).

1. Norwegians ask Russia to help lift a submarine with mercury from the floor of the North Sea. 2019. Available at: https://aif.ru/society/norvezhcy_prosyat_rf_pomoch_podnyat_podlodku_so_rtutyu_so_dna_severnogo_morya (accessed: 15.06.2022).
2. Cybulska K., Łońska E., Fabisiak J. Bacterial benthic community composition in the Baltic Sea in selected chemical and conventional weapons dump sites affected by munition corrosion. Science of the Total Environment. 2020. Vol. 709. 136112. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136112
3. Komleva E. V., Samatov V. N., Nepomnyashchiy V. Z. Geological disposal of radioactive waste: system analysis. Izvestiya vuzov. Uralskiy region. 2016. No. 2. pp. 41–53.
4. Mandryka O. N., Buzin D. A., Parfenov A. A. Russuan arctic environment: radioactivity safety issues. Rossiya v globalnom mire. 2016. No. 9(32). pp. 199–210.
5. Kauker F., Kaminski T., Karcher M., Dowdall M., Brown J. et al. Model analysis of worst place scenarios for nuclear accidents in the northern marine environment. Environmental Modelling & Software. 2016. Vol. 77. pp. 13–18.
6. Sarkisov A. A. Radioactive contamination mitigation in the Arctic region. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2019. Vol. 89, No. 1. pp. 7–22.
7. Rimsky-Korsakov N. A., Flint M. V., Kazennov A. Yu., Anisimov I. M., Poyarkov S. G. et al. Research Results on Ecological Hazard Objects in Abrosimov Bay (Novaya Zemlya, Kara Sea). Oceanology. 2020.Vol. 60, No. 5. pp. 625–632.
8. Kramorenko A. V., Asminin V. V., Chumarov R. I., Antipov S. V., Balashenko V. P. et al. The technology of lifting nuclear- and radiation-hazardous facilities dumped or sunken in the arctic based on the use of hydraulic cable jacks. Arktika: ekologiya i ekonomika. 2018. No. 1(29). pp. 116–124.
9. Karcher M., Hosseini A., Schnur R., Kauker F., Brown J. E. et al. Modelling dispersal of radioactive contaminants in Arctic waters as a result of potential recovery operations on the dumped submarine K-27. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 2017. Vol. 116(1-2). pp. 385–394.
10. Hosseini A., Amundsen I., Brown J., Dowdall M., Karcher M. et al. Impacts on the marine environment in the case of a hypothetical accident involving the recovery of the dumped Russian submarine K-27, based on dispersion of 137Cs. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 2017. Vol. 167. pp. 170–179.
11. Trubetskoy K. N., Malukhin N. G., Drobadenko V. P. et al. Method of burying underwater objects. Patent RF, No. 2355058. Applied: 29.10.2007. Published: 10.05.2009.
12. Kirichenko Yu. V. Deep-diving vehicle for development of ferrimanganese formations of sea bottom. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2014. No. 1. pp. 84–87.
13. Yaltanets I. M., Myaskov A. V., Drobadenko V. P., Pastikhin D. V. Problems of Developing Solid Mineral Deposits on the Sea and Ocean Floor. Power Technology and Engineering. 2018. Vol. 53, No. 1. pp. 7–13.
14. Yaltanets I. M., Bessonov E. A. Unified classification of hydraulic methods. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2014. No. 9. pp. 114–117.
15. Drobadenko V. P., Malukhin N. G., Lukonina O. A. et al. Device for treatment of water reservoirs. Patent RF, No. 2439250. Applied: 21.07.2010. Published: 10.01.2012. Bulletin No. 1.