Tuapse residents criticized the lack of organization in beach cleanups.

Cleaning of sections of the Black Sea coast near Tuapse contaminated by oil products from the local oil refinery is uneven: active work is underway near city infrastructure, but remote and "wild" beaches are being neglected, local residents and volunteers said.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on May 6, authorities reported the removal of 19,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil from the coast near Tuapse. Beaches in Gizel-Dere and the Kiseleva Balka area are contaminated with oil products, but no one is cleaning them up, local residents stated.

Representatives of the Russian Green Party, after visiting the coast, reported finding localized oil spills and dead marine animals. A party activist from the Tuapse District stated that in the first days after the incident, the pollution in one area "reached a length of 150-200 meters," but then "partially diminished visually due to oil spills penetrating under the pebbles." Environmentalists emphasize that this does not mean the pollution has disappeared, but only that it has been redistributed.

Geography of pollution: from Shepsi to Nebug

Pollution is being recorded over a significant stretch of coastline both southeast and northwest of Tuapse, according to local residents and volunteers. In the village of Shepsi, located approximately 10 kilometers as the crow flies from Tuapse toward Sochi, pollution is being recorded in certain areas of the coast, including in the form of fragments hidden under a layer of pebbles, local activist Oleg Zavyalikov told the "Caucasian Knot."

In the opposite direction, toward Novorossiysk, pollution is observed in the Gizel-Dere area (approximately 10-11 km from Tuapse), in the village of Agoy, and in the Nebug area (approximately 15-16 km from Tuapse).

"The geography is vast; virtually the entire coastline around Tuapse requires attention," said blogger Ilya Ivanov, who personally monitors the situation on the coast.

He noted that pollution is often localized and may not be immediately noticeable. "Oil products are absorbed under the pebbles and then returned to the sea. Visually, it may appear cleaner, but that's not always the case," the blogger explained. He also reports pollution within the city limits, particularly on Tuapse's Primorsky Beach and in the Kiseleva Rock area.

City Bay: Some Cleaned, Some Not

According to Veronika, a resident of Tuapse's Primorsky District, the situation on the beaches of the city bay varies from area to area.

"Closer to the center and the equipped beaches, they clean more frequently. But as soon as you move away, you can see that some areas have either been cleaned superficially or not touched at all," said Valeria, a resident of the Gizel-Dere settlement, who works in one of the coastal boarding houses and monitors the environmental situation daily.

According to her interviewees, certain areas located between the railway station and The Vesna boarding house and the Kiselevka area are also affected. However, even in these areas, residents claim, isolated contaminated areas remain.

Volunteers identify the most problematic areas as "wild" beaches without designated services, areas between the Avtotransportnik Rossii and Prometheus boarding houses (between Agoy and Nebug), and coastal areas further from the city center. They also point to pollution near the Volkonka railway station – this area is located southeast of Tuapse, approximately 30 kilometers away, and consists primarily of "wild" and sparsely populated beaches. According to cleanup participants, these areas are cleaned last due to their difficulty of access.

Residents are willing to help, but there is a lack of coordination

Local residents are divided on who should be responsible for cleaning up oil spills from the coast. Some believe the authorities and companies associated with the oil infrastructure are responsible. "This isn't the trash left by vacationers. People believe that government and business resources should be used," Tuapse resident Vladimir told the "Caucasian Knot."

Others are ready to participate in the cleanup, but cite a lack of information. "People are ready to come, but they don't know where exactly. It's not always possible to get through by phone, there are connection problems, and messaging apps are unstable," said Shepsi resident Svetlana. According to her, acquaintances from Sochi wanted to help but were unable to coordinate with volunteer headquarters.

Despite the difficulties, volunteer groups continue their work. Specifically, the Tyumen headquarters operates in the Nebug area (Novorossiysk Highway) and, according to published information, conducts cleanups daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Volunteers on Telegram channels report that they are provided with accommodation, food, and personal protective equipment. However, they say resources are insufficient. "The main problem is the scale and difficult-to-reach areas. The hardest parts are inaccessible areas," Viktor, one of the cleanup participants, told the "Caucasian Knot." He came from Anapa to help and is proud of his volunteer experience. Some volunteers note that part of the coastline is neglected precisely because of a labor shortage.

The "Right to Life" animal rescue center operates in Shepsi at the Morskaya recreation center, where injured animals and birds are brought. According to volunteer Tatyana, local volunteers began collecting cats and dogs in Tuapse and bringing them to the collection point on April 23, during the "oil rains." "We've washed the animals now, but they're still arriving. We're looking for homes for all of them and releasing them into good homes," said Tatiana.

Residents and volunteers agree that without coordination and coverage of all coastal areas, some of the pollution could linger for a long time, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Blogger Ilya Ivanov believes the situation requires a comprehensive approach. "One-off cleanups won't solve the problem. Systematic work involving authorities, specialists, and the public is needed," he believes.

On May 1, a drone attack caused a fire at the Tuapse sea terminal. It was extinguished on May 2. This fire is the fourth in Tuapse since April 16. Earlier, on April 24, after booms broke due to rising water levels in the Tuapse River, an oil spill occurred into the Black Sea. A series of attacks on Tuapse's oil infrastructure has led to environmental consequences, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fires and "oil rain": the main points about the environmental disaster in Tuapse".

A regional emergency regime is in effect throughout the Tuapse Okrug . For information on emergency assessment criteria, response levels, structures, and resources for eliminating the consequences, please see the Caucasian Knot's document "Emergency Situation Regime (ES)".

Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by the Caucasian Knot on the page "Eco-Disaster in Kuban".