File Photo – Lehtikuva.
The Kainuu ELY Centre on Friday ordered the nickel mining company Talvivaara to rehabilitate two lakes damaged when a Talvivaara gypsum basin leaked harmful substances into the water in November 2012.
According to the decision of the centre for economic development, transport and environment, Talvivaara must repair and restore Ylä-Lumi lake and Salminen lake back to their pre-leak state.
This is the first decision in Finland concerning the correction of significant pollution of water-ways.
The leak also caused serious damage to other water systems near Talvivaara, but the Centre will act on those later. According to the Centre, the forthcoming decisions will be made on the basis of how successful the restorations of Ylä-Lumi and Salminen have been undertaken.
