A conference devoted to scrap metal recycling at ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical enterprises was held in Sverdlovsk Region. According to acting Sverdlovsk Region Minister for Industry, Power Engineering, and Science Nikolai Tikhonov, the Ural plants have been developing quite rapidly and therefore need more and more raw materials, including scrap metal, whereas things don’t look so good in terms of collecting and recycling. Mr. Tikhonov believes that law-enforcement agencies should try harder to find the metal stealers and prevent such crimes from happening: at the moment, only one in five metal scrap facilities is legal.

Head of Economic Offenses Division of Sverdlovsk Region Department of Internal Affairs Vadim Panteleev said the current punishment was obviously inadequate given the scale of the damage done. The conference participants decided to ensure efficient cooperation of regional authorities, public prosecution bodies, and scrap metal suppliers through Sverdlovsk Region committee for licensing scrap metal enterprises.

The points on the agenda also included the new legislation on licensing and monitoring of scrappage as well as development of small- and medium-scale businesses in the field.