Ala Lombolo
- One of Sweden's most polluted lakes

It was noticed in the early 1990s that Ala Lombolo is seriously polluted and that its bottom sediments contain high levels of various metals as well as PCBs. Since then, many years of investigations have been carried out in order to find out the source of this heavy pollution and the environmental status of Ala Lombolo and the Luossajoki water system.

 

The investigations have been implemented by a project group of representatives from the Municipality of Kiruna and the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s quality manual for contaminated sites.

 

The bottom sediments in the lake are estimated to contain more than 200 kg of mercury as well as high concentrations of other metals including zinc, copper, lead, molybdenum and cadmium. In addition, the sediments hold hundreds boxes containing more than 17 000 unstable grenades dumped by the Armed Forces in the 1950s.

 

This makes Ala Lombolo one of Sweden’s most polluted lakes, disturbing the ecosystems and spreading the contamination in a large area downstream. (Kiruna kommun, 2013)