According to data represented by Svetlana Stepanova, the head of RF Ministry of Industry, Russia has accumulated more than 80 tons of industrial wastes. Annually the country generates about 2.7 billion tons of industrial wastes 90 % of which are tails of mining and mineral dressing.
It is well known that involvement of waste materials into processing is one of the main methods to save fresh raw materials. Industrial countries would use from 60 to 90 % of their most important industrial wastes.

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n average Russia uses only 36 % of its industrial wastes. It deals with traditionally valuable types of secondary raw materials like scrap and waste metal, which are generally processed (more than 88 %). Other types of industrial wastes are processed much less, namely: only 10.4 % of ashes and slag remaining at heat power plants, 8.3 % of polymer wastes and 4.7 % of used tires.
In 2002 the share of secondary raw materials in production of the most important types of industrial products came to 11 % on average and 27 % specifically in steel production. Withdrawal of big volumes of out-of-date military, industrial and consumer electronics makes it necessary to start reprocessing scrap electronics especially that containing precious and non-ferrous metals. In 2002 Russia extracted from secondary raw materials 3 tons of gold, with more than one ton of it being extracted from scrap metals and wastes generated in the course of disposal of military equipment.
Russia has developed new technologies and equipment to pre-treat waste materials for further use. Thus, AO Kuzpolimermash manufactures special lines to re-process polymer wastes, NPO Paks produces rotor type shredders and extruders, Dubna, Inpron and Ecotron companies make equipment for reprocessing wastes rich in mercury etc. A number of enterprises and companies have invented and developed special technologies to reprocess wastes into secondary raw materials. For example, Glintsvetmet scientific research institute has invented and implemented practically wasteless technology for disposal of used accumulators, SELTA firm has invented ecology and sanitary friendly equipment to remove mercury from mercury based illumination lamps while ZAO Kubantsvetmet is now implementing a technology for separate reprocessing of mercury based wastes.
It is obvious that one of the main tasks for the national economic policy to address is implementation of little waste and wasteless technologies, wasteless technological processes and industrial methods as well as a complex use of all the components of raw materials. Today Russian people are aware of a necessity to introduce general and special technical provisions and requirements to be brought in line with standards of the World Trade Organization and the European Union in the field of ecological management.