YAKUTSK, February 2. /TASS/. About 20,000 tonnes of waste will be removed from Yakutia’s three Arctic villages before the end of 2022 under the Clean Arctic federal project, the regional government’s press service said on Wednesday.

"Before the end of 2022, from Yakutia’s three villages — Deputatsky, Ust-Kuiga, and Severny — under the Clean Arctic federal program will be removed 20,000 tonnes of waste," the press service said. "The agreement on processing the scrap metal has been reached between the Ust-Yana District and the VSP-Resurs company, the Arctic zone’s resident."

"In 2021, about 2,000 tonnes of scrap metal have been collected in the district," the press service added.

The waste in the three villages is mostly scrapped metal and objects, remaining after the industrial development, Yakutia’s Ministry on Development of the Arctic and on Affairs of the North’s Peoples told TASS.

The region has been developing the corporate volunteer movement. "To the cleanup missions we invite the companies, working in the region’s Arctic zone," the press service quoted Governor Aisen Nikolayev as saying. "Taking into account our huge territories, their support cannot be overestimated."

Volunteers from Yanolovo and Yanzoloto will clean up two villages — Olenegorsk and Silyannyakh. "This year, Arktik Vtormet as the Russian Defense Ministry’s authorized operator will continue removing scrap metal from Tiksi and around it," the regional government said. "The company also undertakes to demolish and remove outdated buildings. Before 2023, from Tiksi will be transported 40,000 tonnes of waste."

In 2021, under the Clean Arctic project, more than 1,500 tonnes of waste have been collected in Russia’s Arctic regions. Those were barrels, tires, plastics, wood. Cleanup missions and expeditions were organized in the Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Krasnoyarsk, Yakutia, Yamalo-Nenets, Nenets, Komi, and Karelia regions.