Hungary -- toxic sludge disaster

[bixaorellana]

KOLONTAR, Hungary — A lethal torrent of toxic red sludge from a metal refinery engulfed towns in Hungary, burning villagers through their clothes and threatening an ecological disaster Tuesday as it swept toward the Danube River.

The flood of caustic red mud triggered a state of emergency declaration by Hungarian officials. At least four people were killed, six were missing and 120 injured, many with burns.

Hundreds were evacuated in the aftermath of the disaster Monday, when a gigantic sludge reservoir burst its banks at an alumina plant in Ajka, a town 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Budapest, the capital. The torrent of sludge inundated homes, swept cars off roads and damaged bridges. <-- Click text for full story.


An aerial view of the red mud covered streets and neighborhood of Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, taken on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, after a dike of a reservoir containing red mud of an alumina factory in nearby Ajka broke, and over one million cubic meters of the poisonous chemical sludge inundated several villages. The flood of toxic mud killed a yet unknown number of people, injured more than hundred, while some are still missing. (AP Photo/MTI, Gyoergy Varga)


An aerial photo taken on Tuesday, Oct. 5 2010, of the broken dam of the reservoir of the Ajka alumina factory in Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary. On Monday the chemical sludge flooded the area between Ajka and Devecser, more than one million cubic meters of the chemical red sludge leaked endangering thousands of people with an ecological catastrophe. The Hungarian government declared a state of emergency in Veszprem, Gyor-Moson-Sopron and Vas counties. (AP Photos/MTI, Gyoergy Varga)
Go here for full slide show.

[lagatta]

Yes, this is ghastly and I don't see how they can keep the horrid stuff from reaching the Danube.

Spiegel Online is a good source for Central European stories. Spiegel has a site in English with many of its stories translated: www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,721563,00.html They also have an online gallery. It will make me very sad to see all the living things killed, whether humans, other animals, or plant life.

bixa, should this be in "Europe" or in ecology etc? I forget whether we put the Katrina and Gulf Oil leak in North America or in environment...

[bixaorellana]

The oil well disaster is in Saving the World. I saw this last night right before I went to bed, and posted it.
You're probably right that it would be more appropriately placed in the ecology board. Thanks!

*moving it*

[gertie]

I saw something that said they put plaster I guess like plaster of paris in the creeks to stop the water and sludge from getting into the Danube. If it works it actually sounds like a fairly ingenious solution.

[bixaorellana]

I saw that too, Gertie, and it smacked to me of BP's buffoonish responses to the broken well. However, there don't seem to be any cries of outrage by environmental groups over the plaster. It probably makes a pretty benevolent dam under the circumstances.

Here is excellent reporting, as usual, from The Guardian. Videos are included.
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/07/hungary-sludge-spill-reaches-danube
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/08/toxic-sludge-fails-damage-danube

Be sure to read the second link, at least. Very sobering.

[Deleted]

During my entire childhood, I passed a bright red bauxite ore rectangualar mountain every day, which was on the Gulfport (MS) navy base. I have no idea from where it was imported, but I was told that it was a national defense stockpile in case the supply routes were cut by the evil commies.

In such an area of regular heavy thunderstorms, it was quite eroded and red slush would often be washed through the fence and across the road into the ditch. Nobody ever gave it a second thought, even though there were houses facing the naval fence.

[bixaorellana]

Yow ~~ look at this: www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/gulfport.htm
excerpt:
Bauxite, tin, copper, sisal and abaca have been stored here in varying quantities since that time. Huge piles of bauxite, the imported ore from which aluminum is extracted, covers an estimated 24 of the [Gulfport] Center's 1098 acres.

The information about bauxite in this public health assessment report indicates minimal danger, but ........

I used to live near the river in New Orleans & there was a fenced lot on my walking route to the supermarket. This was squarely in the midst of a residential area. The lot was full of 55 gallon drums and bits & pieces of equipment, all leaking and lying around. One day as we passed, we saw something coming out of one of the drums, pooling on the ground, and smoking slightly. We phoned and men in hazmat suits showed up, but no one would tell us anything.

[Deleted]

Government reports always say there is "minimal danger" for something they are doing.

[frenchmystiquetour]

A friend posted a news report on Facebook yesterday saying the head of that company responsible for the toxic sludge leak is being questioned/investigated by the police. Shouldn't we have done that with the execs at BP?

[bixaorellana]

Interesting point, Fmt. Even though both incidents indicate criminal negligence, how are the specialized aspects to be investigated? In the US & I suppose most other countries, there has to be sufficient evidence of guilt before the person can be arrested and held. Have the primary people responsible for what went wrong with the Gulf well been identified?

It seems from reports such as this that the questioning of the head of the firm is only the first step in the investigation.