Alert! Russian Rocket Carrying Highly Toxic Waste May Land In Canadian Arctic

A rocket powered by toxic fuel officially took off from the Russian base, and in the days coming, a stage of the Russian rocket is expected to crash in Canadian territory.

Over the past week, environmentalists had been angry and highly concerned as the second stage of the rocket's missile, which carries potentially highly toxic chemicals, is expected to plummet in a biodiversity hotspot, specifically into Baffin Bay between Ellesmere Island and Greenland. Baffin Bay is outside Canada's territorial waters but inside an economic zone that the country partially controls.

"The idea of dropping a missile full of toxic chemicals in the Arctic waters off Baffin Island is just as preposterous as drilling for oil there," Greenpeace Arctic campaigner Alex Speers-Roesch told CBC News.

"Dumping these chemicals from a ship would be a clear violation of international and Canadian law, and it is no more acceptable when it is dumped from the air," he added.

Michael Byers, a professor of international law and an Arctic expert at the University of British Columbia told the Canadian Press that Russia is complying with the rules by notifying aviation authorities of the launch and the splashdown.

The space debris is a stage from a rocket set off under Russia's Rokot program.

According to Russia's space launch report, Rokot is a small expendable space launch vehicle derived from Russia's UR-100NUTTKh (or UR-100NU) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The missile, called the SS-19, use hydrazine for fuel.

Hydrazine gives the best performance as a rocket fuel but it is considered highly toxic. According to Toxipedia, hydrazine exposure is toxic to blood, kidneys, lungs, the nervous system and mucous membranes.

In addition to its effect on health, it poses ecological concerns as well because of its highly corrosive properties.

However, since it is expected to land in an icy region, it is not definite how hydrazine will completely react. Also, there is no information regarding how much unused hydrazine will be dropped down.

The water where the debris will splash is rich in plankton, which seals, seabirds and polar bears eat. It is also a habitat for narwhal, beluga, walrus and bowhead whales.

According to The Globe and Mail, the most high-profile controversy over Russian space debris in Canada occurred nearly 40 years ago which cost taxpayers $9 million.