Within the framework of “Ecological Transformation of Mining Areas in Armenia” project, the representatives of the Czech organization Arnika, together with members of EcoLur Informational NGO and Center for Community Consolidation and Support NGO, visited Kapan community in Syunik Region, Armenia.
The project is implemented with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Its objective is to assess the level of industrial pollution in mining-affected communities and to share Czech experience in the ecological transformation of industrial areas with local residents.
In Kapan, meetings were held with residents and representatives of civil society. Participants included Arnika co-founder and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) expert on dioxins and waste Jindřich Petrlík, project coordinator of “Ecological Transformation of Mining Areas in Armenia” Gregory Malyukov, toxic substances expert Nikola Jelínek, as well as the teams of Ecolur Information NGO and Center for Community Consolidation and Support Center NGO. The discussions focused on possible approaches to the ecological transformation of mining areas.
Jindřich Petrlík presented Czech experience, noting that, in addition to Armenia, Arnika has worked in Georgia, Thailand, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine.
“Heavy metals are studied because they are toxic and accumulate in living organisms and the environment. Dangerous heavy metals are found in every type of ore. Problems arise when they reach the surface in large quantities. One of the main sources of heavy metal pollution is tailings storage facilities. Abandoned mines are also a major source of pollution, increasing concentrations of heavy metals in soil, water, river sediments, and plants, and creating serious health risks for residents,” Jindřich Petrlík noted.
Ani Sargsyan, President of Youth Impulse NGO in Kapan, emphasized the importance of such research: “As a resident of the Kapan community, I believe these studies are extremely important and necessary for all of us, especially for those living in affected settlements. We do not have such research and do not know the real level of pollution of our environment or its impact on the human body. As a resident, I very much want to know the reality.”
She noted that the NGO had conducted a needs assessment in the mining-affected settlements of Geghanush and Gomaran, which revealed numerous unresolved social and health problems among local residents. “There are many elderly people and individuals with health issues who are unable to cover their basic expenses independently,” she added.
Kapan resident Svetlana Grigoryan, who also participated in the needs assessment, stated: “There are many oncological, thyroid, and cardiovascular diseases. The environment is also polluted. When it rains, substances from the abandoned Kavarti mine flow into the river; there have even been cases when we saw dead fish in the river.”
Another Kapan resident, Armida Grigoryan, noted: “We are surrounded by mines, and Kapan is located between tailings facilities. How could there be no pollution in such conditions, and how could this not negatively affect the population? Of course, the most vulnerable groups are children and the elderly.” She stressed the need to remove mining waste piles and hazardous waste and to clean the environment to prevent dangerous substances from entering the food chain.
Oleg Dulgaryan, President of Center for Community Consolidation and Support NGO, emphasized that alternative, green development programs must be developed for mining-affected communities.
Arnika experts collected samples of soil, dust, and river sediments from Kapan, Geghanush, and Gomaran, including from household gardens, as well as biological samples from residents. The samples will be analyzed in a certified laboratory in the Czech Republic. The results will be presented to local residents, the wider public, and responsible authorities to support the development of solutions to address pollution-related challenges.
Arnika has been working in Armenia since 2010. In cooperation with Armenian partner organizations and based on proposals from local residents, Arnika has conducted studies on environmental pollution and human health in industrial areas in Lori, Kotayk, Ararat, and Aragatsotn Regions.
This article was prepared within the framework of Ecological Transformation of Mining Areas in Armenia” project implemented under the Czech Republic’s Transformation Cooperation Programme with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
January 19, 2026 at 15:05