On October 7, bauxite waste from the huge reservoir in Hungary reached the Danube river, threatening the ecosystem of the river.
>>>Broken waste storage, Hungary declared a state of emergency
Residents and government officials cleaned up in Kolontar village in western Hungary after red mud from bauxite waste tanks spilled through the village. (Photo: AFP)
The huge bauxite waste storage tank of an aluminum factory in the town of Ajka in western Hungary suddenly broke millions of liters of waste down to seven villages in lower positions. Waste spread to an area of 40 km2, leaving 4 people dead, 123 injured and 3 missing. This is the most serious chemical disaster in Hungarian history.
AFP said, toxic mud rushed to the Raab and Danube rivers in Gyor city at about 13:30 am Hanoi time. A Hungarian water administration official informed that the pollution level of the Danube river was already beyond normal.
' The analysis of many water samples in the confluence of the Raab and Danube rivers shows that the concentration of domestic alkali increased by 8.96 to 9.07%, ' the official said.
Alkaline concentration is one of the criteria used to assess the level of water pollution. Water quality is considered normal if alkalinity is equal to or below 8%.
Mr. Gbor Figeczky, executive director of the International Nature Conservation Fund (WWF) in Hungary, warned that after flooding the Danube, bauxite waste could cause international scale harm.
' Some animals and plants die instantly, some other species will be poisoned for a long time because toxic sludge builds up in their bodies ,' he said.
WWF also yesterday declared poisonous sludge in Hungary will leave a lasting impact in soil, water, fauna and flora.
Bauxite is a pink, brown sedimentary aluminum ore formed from weathering of aluminum-rich stones or accumulated from pre-existing ores by erosion. Waste from bauxite contains many extremely toxic heavy metals.