Revisiting the reduction of the cumulative ecological damage (case study of the Vologda oblast)

Among the problems of the regions’ sustainable development the significant role is assigned to the ecological aspects, one of which is the cumulative ecological damage, formed as the result of the long-term negative human impact on the territories’ ecosystems. The article presents socio-ecological problems of the Vologda Oblast connected with the additional risks concerning population’s incidence rate owing to cumulating of the dangerous pollution in the environment. The authors state that the region’s air, water and soil pollution results in the additional risks of developing carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects that lead to population’s health deterioration. The authors conclude that the environmental remedial action should be one of the priority directions of the region’s ecological policy. The authors offer the set of measures devoted to solving problems concerning the reduction of the region’s ecological damage, among which unauthorized landfill elimination, developing the system of waste recycling, using of tougher economic measures to the business entities, infringing ecological standards, can be mentioned.