Environmental observations made by the network of the State Committee for Hydrometeorology in 1998 indicate that the general state of the environment in the country has not changed significantly. However, there has been a tendency towards an improvement.

The level of atmospheric air pollution by benzapyrene in the spots of control has decreased as compared to 1997.

The amount of most mass ions and general mineralization in atmospheric precipitations has also decreased.

The state of the ozonosphere has been improved as compared to the previous two years. No ozone anomalies were observed in 1998.

Pollution of some water bodies by nitrogen and heavy metal compounds has decreased, and the state of some ecosystems has improved.

The average level of residual amounts of total DDT has diminished in the soils of some regions of Ukraine.

At the same time the environment, especially inland waters and seas as well as soils, are still polluted by sewage discharges, accidental spills of petroleum products, and other pollutants.

The general state of the water environment, especially minor rivers in industrial regions, is bad, and the water quality in most of them does not meet the mandatory requirements. In some cities and towns of Ukraine, the soil is polluted by industrial toxicants.

According to data of the environment monitoring system, a great number of cases of extremely high technogenic contamination of the environment were observed in 1998.

Thus the situation in terms of environmental contamination in the territory of Ukraine is still unfavourable, especially in view of the worn-out equipment and infrastructure in industry and transport.

It should be noted that the economic and financial situation in Ukraine has a negative effect on the activity of the system of environmental monitoring. For example, some indicators of environmental contamination receive no attention, and the response to emergencies connected with such contamination is not quick enough.

WWW pages created by the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine phone: +380-044-2287343 fax: +380-044-2287343 e-mail: grid@mep.freenet.kiev.ua