Benchmark Study 1

IPP 1st BENCHMARK REPORT
approximately 200 farms, occupying 2,750 ha, are engaged in ecologically pure farming (i.e., using no
artificial fertilisers or pesticides).
Water
In respect to surface and ground water resources per capita, Latvia can be compared to countries like
Russia, Canada and Sweden that are the richest in water resources in the world. There are more than
12,000 rivers and nearly 4,000 lakes and reservoirs in Latvia covering 3.7 % of the country’s territory in
total. Nevertheless, more than 55 % of the volume of water flowing into the Gulf of Riga or directly into
the Baltic Sea through the territory of Latvia originates outside our state borders, and Latvia can only
partially affect the protection of its quality, control of its pollution, monitoring and provision of relevant
information to Latvia and other countries. Therefore our country is characterized by the greatest
transboundary effects and risks in the ecoregion of the Baltic Sea in relation to the quality of surface
waters (less ground waters).
Latvia has 477 mechanical, 956 biological and 6 chemical wastewater treatment plants. There are no
atomic power plants in Latvia.
One of the greatest assets of Latvian subterranean depths is the large fresh water resources ensuring
the drinking water supply. The possibilities of using geothermal energy are of significant interest.
Land
Resources of Latvian subterranean depths consist of rocks and minerals, ground waters, hydrocarbons,
geothermal energy and geological structures suitable for economic use. Latvia is rich in raw
construction materials – resources of sand, quartz sand, sand-gravel mix, gravel, clay, dolomite,
gypsum, as well as freshwater lime and tuff can be found. Peat used in agriculture and production,
which is also exported, is of great economic significance. Latvia is also rich in spa resources – curative
mud and mineral waters. In lakes, sapropel used in agriculture and the chemical industry can be found.
The polluted and potentially polluted sites have been identified, and they have been included in the
register of polluted and potentially polluted sites that can be found in the LEGMA's database. Overall,
3,562 polluted and potentially polluted sites were examined and included in the register of polluted and
potentially polluted sites, 242 of which were recognised as polluted.
Waste
Latvia produces 1 200–1 400 tonnes of household waste annually. A half of the total waste could be
separated and degraded biologically; however, waste separation has only recently begun in Latvia and
is developing slowly. Also different kinds of waste decomposing over a very long period, e.g., plastic
bags offered free of charge in supermarkets, end up in dump-sites.
The most serious problems identified in the Environmental Policy Strategy 2009–2015:
o air quality standards are exceeded in the largest cities of Latvia, and the largest percentage of air
pollution comes from transport emissions;
o eutrophication of inland waters is increasing, especially in the southern area of the Gulf of Riga,
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