He has no information about dangerous gas concentration in the air, and so is in no position to say just how bad the threat is. Anyway, high nitric oxide concentration is extremely bad for human health, he warned.
The gas surge may cause acid rains in the area, said Yevgeny Schwarz, Moscow office Director for Environment Protection of the WWF-World Wildlife Fund.
Nitric oxide is the main reason for acid rains. They are not specially dangerous to man but destructive to forests, especially coniferous.
Acid rains caused coniferous forests to dry on the root throughout Eastern Europe. It became a burning problem 15-20 years ago.
"That's a real bad blow on Nature," stressed the environmental expert.
The Novomoskovsk combine previously issued a reassuring press release the company bosses signed. As it alleged, the accident concerned an extremely small area and provided no danger to the population. Emergencies Ministry and other services' rescuers had had the situation in control from the start, said the document.
