Red Book bird species are leaving Armenia due to development of the mining industry.
Head of the Bird Lovers' Center Silva Adamyan has told ArmInfo that the mining industry in the republic does not meet the environmental standards adopted in developed countries. The situation deteriorates even more because the mining companies are exempted from taxes for tails (mining waste) and tailing dumps.
The environmentalists have repeatedly criticized the Natural Resources Code, which aims to protect the business interests of the mining companies.
Such legislative and tax privileges have a negative effect on the flora and fauna of Armenia. Adamyan says that some predatory birds, which earlier inhabited Tavush and Lori provinces of Armenia, had to fly to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
For instance, the griffon vultures, which earlier inhabited in Alaverdi, have disappeared due to the unfavorable environmental conditions, whereas that bird species is included in the Red Book, Adamyan says.
Earlier, experts noted that there are nearly 450 deposits in Armenia, which is a rather high figure. The legislation ensures no levers of influence on the mining companies in terms of environmental aspects and healthcare of the residents of the communities adjacent to the mines.
The disregard of environmental standards has a negative effect on tourism and ecologically-friendly agriculture. Earlier Head of the Association for the Sustainable Human Development Karine Danielyan said that heavy metals have been revealed in the edible plants.
Environmentalist Knarik Hovhannisyan thinks that mining industry in Armenia pollutes the subsoil water. The expert pointed at the condition of Armenia's tailing dumps. Experts have also repeatedly pointed at the penetration of mining waste into the rivers with snow, rain and melt water.