Over 50,000 tons of waste has been collected from Arctic islands in the six years of the environmental cleanup program, said Sergei Donskoi, Russian Minister of Natural Recourses, at a meeting of the Year of the Environment organizing committee.

"We are currently cleaning up the islands in the Franz Josef Land archipelago in the Arkhangelsk Region. This year the total volume of waste collected from Arctic islands at the end of six years will be over 50,000 tons," Donskoi said.

The government has adopted an action plan to be carried out during the Year of the Environment in the following areas: waste, converting to the latest technologies, water, forests, Baikal, the Arctic and its climate, protected natural areas, wildlife and raising environmental awareness.