"Chemistry spreads its arms wide..."
Rospotrebnadzor has published a state report on the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the Russian population in 2025. And it doesn't look particularly optimistic.
The overall multifactorial chemical burden on the health of citizens has increased by 5,9% over the year: 83,8 million people—57% of Russia's population—are now exposed to it.
We look at what we breathe, what we eat and drink.
1. State of atmospheric air
The worst offenders in air pollution were the Republic of Khakassia (4,5% of samples above the MAC), Altai Krai (3,43%) and Krasnoyarsk Krai (2,24%).
In 2025, a decrease in the overall level of air pollution in the country was recorded. The proportion of samples exceeding the maximum permissible concentration in urban areas reached 0,69%, and in rural areas, 0,32%. However, air pollution near highways in residential areas increased (1,06% of samples exceeded the maximum permissible concentration).
2. Soil condition
The proportion of soil samples that did not meet standards was: 8,4% for bacteriological indicators, 3,51% for chemical indicators, and 0,64% for parasitic indicators. The highest levels of chemical soil contamination were found in North Ossetia-Alania (55,7%) and Khabarovsk Krai (19,5%). For microbiological indicators (bacteria), the worst situation was found in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (47,4%) and Khabarovsk Krai (35,2%).
3. The situation with fresh and sea water
An increase in chemical contamination of drinking water sources has been observed. The proportion of non-standard samples for sanitary and chemical indicators was 28,05%, and for microbiological indicators, 15,27%. The situation is worst in the Kurgan (100% of samples failing chemical standards) and Novgorod (90,22%) regions.
Chemical pollution of the seas has increased (up to 12,97% of samples exceeded standards). In St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, 97–100% of seawater samples tested failed to meet hygienic standards for both chemical and microbiological composition.
4. Consequences of the disaster in the Kerch Strait
The level of chemical pollution of seawater with petroleum products has increased 10,3-fold (the proportion of non-standard samples increased from 1,22% to 12,59%). Fuel oil has contaminated 150 beaches (141 in Anapa and 9 in the Temryuk district). Toxic petroleum products have penetrated deep into the coastline, with pollution recorded at three different depths and three distances from the water's edge. Associated pollution of coastal air has been recorded, posing a threat to groundwater and surface drinking water sources. Toxic impacts and contamination of local fish and aquaculture facilities in the coastal zone have been documented.
5. The Krasnodar Krai task force dismissed media reports based on the Rospotrebnadzor report as "fake news," but was unable to refute the figures and facts cited. "The seawater analysis was conducted immediately after the oil tanker accident in the Kerch Strait. Therefore, the data presented is not current," the task force stated.
6. Food counterfeiting
The share of counterfeit products on the market increased to 5,9% (a 63,9% increase compared to 2022 levels). The most frequently counterfeited products are meat (9,2%), poultry and eggs (8,3%), and dairy products (6,6%). Microbiological defects were detected in 4,03% of food samples.
7. The threat of antibiotic resistance
56,6% of all studied strains bacteria isolated from food products. turned out to be resistant to antibiotics. The main source of "superbugs" is poultry and eggs (45,9% of all resistant strains), and bacteria of the genus Salmonella (68,7%), which have developed resistance to gentamicin and amikacin. Scientists have long been sounding the alarm: uncontrolled use of antibiotics could lead to a surge in mortality from bacterial infections.
