According to the report devoted to the environmental performance of the Ural division of Rostechnadzor (the state environmental and technological safety watchdog) in 2006, the enterprises of Sverdlovsk Region dumped the total of 1,229,664 tons of pollutants last year. The lion’s share of harmful substances was produced by metallurgical and fuel-energy companies (their shares in the total amount of all emissions come to 43.7% and 35% respectively). They also dumped most sulfur dioxide (49.2% and 47.3% of the total amount, respectively). The former emitted most carbon monoxide as well (the share of metallurgical enterprises amounts to 80.4%), whereas the latter emitted most nitrous oxide (64%).

The gas-purifying facilities installed at the regional companies recovered 8,390,981 tons of pollutants, of which 2,527,370 tons were recycled; thus the average recovery rate reached the point of 87.2%. The timber and woodworking industries do little in terms of recovering pollutants (their share of all recovered harmful substances comes to 31%); agriculture and housing maintenance and utilities contribute even less (their shares come to 5.7% and 3%, respectively).