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Production at Baikal pulp mill officially shut down

The pulp and paper mill built in 1960s is considered the largest source of pollution of Baikal Lake

© ITAR-TASS/Nikolai Ryutin

MOSCOW, December 25. /ITAR-TASS/. The production at the Baikal pulp and paper mill is shut down officially on Wednesday. Only 494 staff members remained employed out of more than 1,600 people that were working at the pulp and paper mill. The rest of employees will be dismissed. The employees who will keep on working at the pulp mill will provide for the operation of vitally important facilities of the mill for the city, Irkutsk Region's government reported.

The pulp and paper mill built in 1960s is considered the largest source of pollution of Baikal Lake. Last summer the government reported about concrete plans to shut it down and the main production line was halted last autumn. The whole production is shut down officially on Wednesday, December 25, and the staff mainly employed at the thermal power station at the pulp mill will keep on working.

Ecologists noted that the production at the Baikal pulp and paper mill was shut down officially this year, which Russia has declared as Year of Environment.

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