SlideShare uma empresa Scribd logo
1 de 35
Baixar para ler offline
Toxic sludges in Central Europe
by Csaba Toth
For CSU Fresno Hydrology (EES117) class
09/27/2012
Thanks for materials to Wikipedia
Two sludges
1. Cyanide spill in January 30, 2000
– “the worst environmental disaster in Europe since
the Chernobyl disaster”
2. Red mud toxic sludge in 4 October 2010
Europe
East Central Europe
Carpathian/Pannonian Basin
Similarities with Central Valley: great plains, and
air conditions (air stuck in basin, fog somtimes)
Tisza River
• Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of
Central Europe
Tisza River
• Drains an area of about 60,266 sq mi
• Length of 600 mi
• Biggest catchment and length of any of Danube
tributaries
• Mean annual discharge of 28,000 cu ft/s
• Its contribution to the Danube's total runoff is
about 13%
• Attila the Hun is said to have been buried under a
diverted section of the river Tisza
Danube River
• Europe's second longest river after the Volga
Danube River
• Originates from Germany, Black Forest
• Drains an area of about 315,445 sq mi
• Mean discharge of 229,545 ft3/s (at Budapest: 82,989
ft3/s, Mississippi: 593,000 ft3/s)
• Once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire
• Passes through or touches the borders of ten countries:
Romania (29.0% of basin area), Hungary (11.6%),
Serbia (10.2%), Austria (10.0%), Germany (7.0%),
Bulgaria (5.9%), Slovakia (5.9%), Croatia (4.4%),
Ukraine (3.8%), and Moldova (1.6%)
Danube River
• Along its course, it is a source of drinking water
for about 20 million people
• Passing through four Central European capitals
before emptying into the Black Sea via the
Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine
1. Vienna – capital of Austria
2. Bratislava – capital of Slovakia
3. Budapest – capital of Hungary
4. Belgrade – capital of Serbia
• The delta’s approximate surface is 1603 mile², it is
a UNESCO heritage
1. Cyanide spill - January 30, 2000
• The spill has been called the worst environmental
disaster in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster
• Originating location: Nagybánya (Baia Mare in
Romanian), 600 kilometers from Bucharest, the
capital of Romania, 70 kilometers from the
border with Hungary and 50 kilometers from the
border with Ukraine
• Time: January 30, 2000, night
• Affected the Tisza and then the Danube
1. Cyanide spill - January 30, 2000
Gold mining
• Gold mining company Aurul, a joint-venture of
the Australian company Esmeralda Exploration
and the Romanian government
• Cleaning up byproduct of gold mining, the
toxic tailings, Aurul extracted remaining gold
from it via gold cyanidation
• The company then shipped its waste product
to a dam (contains a lot of cyanide, also has
some heavy metals and other yummy stuff)
The spill itself
• 100,000 cubic meters of cyanide-contaminated
water (containing an estimated 100 tons of
cyanides) spilled
• Into the Someş river, then Tisza, Danube
• Cyanide concentrations of over 700 times the
permitted levels
• More than 1,400 tons of fish, numerous eagles,
storks and otters all died
• In addition to cyanide, heavy metals were also
washed into the river and they have a long-lasting
negative impact on the environment
Aftermath
• Esmeralda Exploration blamed excessive snowfall for the dam
failure (srsly?)
• "The Tisza has been killed. Not even bacteria have survived" -
Serbia's Environment minister Branislav Blazic – "This is a total
catastrophe."
• After the cyanide entered the Danube, the large volume of the
river's water diluted the cyanide, but in some sections it still
remained as high as 20 to 50 times the allowed concentration
• Brett Montgomery, the chairman of the mine operator, Esmeralda,
denied responsibility, claiming that the damage of the spill has been
"grossly exaggerated" and that the fish died in such numbers
because of lack of oxygen due to the freezing of the river. (yeah,
right!)
More reactions
• A spokesman for the company later claimed that media
reports from Hungary and Serbia are politically
motivated and the fish were killed by spills from
industrial plants along the Tisza, due to the dynamite
explosions used to break the ice locks on the river or
simply due to the raw sewage pumped into the river.
– My two cents on this as a flat water kayaker on the Danube
for 20 years: waste water treatment significantly improved
in Hungary over the years, especially after the system
change. The various industry plants which contaminated
the water got closed down because of economic reasons.
More reactions
• It’s also interesting to note that
Romania ate its own dog food:
the Tisza flows into the
Danube, and the Danube flows
back to they! Rather deny
allegations then admit a fault –
congrats!
• The Hungarian government called the storing
of cyanide next to a river madness and argued
that the weather was not unprecedented. –
with a little digging we can see if this is right
Aftermath – there you go
• Five weeks later, a spill of contaminated waters (this
time with heavy metals) hit the region.[3] A dyke burst
in Baia Borş, Maramureş County and 20,000 cubic
meters of zinc, lead and copper-contaminated water
made its way into the Tisza.
• A year later, another cyanide spill occurred in Romania,
this time being a deliberate emptying of cyanide
solutions into the Siret River.
• Two years after the spill, the ecosystem began to
recover, but it was still far from its initial state, as the
fishermen of Hungary claim that their catches are only
at a fifth of their original levels.
Aftermath
• While Romania and the Australian gold mining
company denied everything and didn’t show
too much sorrow about the incident,
Australian Greenpeace activists
communicated their deep sorrow about the
tragedy and felt ashamed in the name of the
Romanian government and the gold mining
company.
2. Red mud sludge, 4 October 2010
• Locations. Kolontár, Hungary
Red mud sludge
• NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite
Aluminium production from bauxite
• waste product of the Bayer process, which refines
bauxite into a form of aluminium oxide called
alumina
• The byproduct mud primarily contains non-
aluminium compounds present in the bauxite ore
and left as residues after its refining along with
sodium hydroxide used to dissolve aluminium
oxide – notice NaOH, extreme pH!
• red mud does not contain “very high” levels of
heavy metals, although still about seven times
the levels in normal soil
• Very slightly radioactive
The spill
• dam of reservoir no. 10 collapsed
• freeing approximately 35 million cubic feet of
liquid waste from red mud lakes
• The mud was released as a 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall
wave, flooding several nearby localities
• At least nine people died, and 122 people
were injured
• About 15 sq mi of land were initially affected
Danger
• Immediate: extremely basic, with a pH value
of 13 (remember NaOH)
• 80–90 people had been taken to hospital
• severe chemical burns to human and animals
and killing specimens in the rivers and in the
contaminated soils
• levels of chromium 660 mg/kg, arsenic
110 mg/kg and mercury 1.2 mg/kg.
Danger
• Extreme basic pH caustic effects on the skin is very
different, than an extreme acidic effect: you don’t feel
the damage right away like with an acid, real damage
kicks in only with a large delay (but non-reversible).
• Hungarian news showed footages as catastrophe
response teams were pouring industrial citric acid and
vinegar into the affected small rivers to counteract the
extreme pH of NaOH
• The radioactivity of the sludge is negligible
(comparable to the background radiation), doesn’t
have real impact
Long Term Danger
• Once the sludge dries, various toxic
compounds are picked up by the wind
– This can cause coughing, lung and respiratory
irritation
– Trigger asthma, make asthma worse
– Worse for children and elderly people
• Personal suspicion (not proven): these dams
were used to store other toxic waste products
than just the bauxite mining
Aftermath
• The CEOs of the bauxit mining company were detractive
towards the effect of the sludge. (The CEO were standing
on the stairs at the sludge dam, and stated that “It’s
harmless”. The governmental representative replied: “Then
jump in, and swim in it!”)
• The CEOs were cited to a lawsuit
• The CEOs had power during the communist era and could
get hold and save that governmental industry into their
own personal wealth only for pennies (same happened
with almost every big industry and valuable asset after the
system change)
• These days the lawsuit seems to not have any result, still
going on but money can by very good defense
Bottom line notes
• Bauxite contains lower percentage of aluminum
than an aluminum ore, extraction requires more
effort (hence the toxic dam)
• But Hungarian bauxit contained unusually high
percentage of titanium!
• Unfortunately during the communist era that
very valuable titanium was just simply taken away
by the soviets (for free, since Hungary was a
“friend” and communist “brother”), and most
probably used for military industry
Bottom line notes
• Hungary is famous for its baths, there are
thousands of thermal springs all across the
country, good for treating various health issues
• Heavy industry mining impacted the yield of
those spring throughout the years
• Now there’s no more mining and Hungary is just
blessed with the enormous amount of toxic
waste – sitting and waiting to spill one day (there
are many more container pools like the one
which spilled)
• Titanium is gone too as I mentioned
Aftermath
• The mining company stated that they performed
all mandatory check annually and regularly on
the dam
• Many local people stated that it was common
knowledge that the dams were leaking
• The disaster happened after an unusually rainy
period, seemingly the dam wall cracked and
slipped
• (Some conspiracy theorists say it was caused by a
bomb)
Media/press
• http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/10/
a_flood_of_toxic_sludge.html
• http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/201
0/10/toxic-sludge-from-hungary-spill-coats-
villages-threatens-danube.html
Future after red mud catastrophe?
• Red mud cleanup seems to be successful
• But people lost their homes and they won’t
return any more to the disaster area
• The leaders of the
• USA has dry technology, not dangerous in
terms of potential spills, but more costly (you
have to neutralize the NaOH and have to
prevent the disperse of the dried sludge dust,
which can cause irritation)
Future after cyanide spills?
• Bigger project than ever before planned: Gold
mining at Verespatak
• Means bigger than ever before cyanide dam
• The campaign against the gold mining at Roșia
Montană was one of the largest campaigns over a
non-political cause in the last 20 years in
Romania. A plethora of organizations spoke out
against the project, from Greenpeace to the
Romanian Academy. Nevertheless, in late 2009,
the Romanian government announced it made
starting the project a priority. – congratulations!
Comparison
• The red mud sludge looked really nasty, that’s
why it hit the news
• The cyanide spill was a rally scary invisible and
silent mass murderer
• Although people died as a result of the red mud
incident, it affected smaller area than the cyanide
spill, easier to remediate
• There was an international lawsuit about the
cyanide spill, but we only won some pennies
basically
Summary
• Tremendous damage because of negligence
and money hunger
• The responsible parties deny allegations, don’t
learn
• Money compensation (which can be used for
remediation) is often negligible, laughable

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Mais de Csaba Toth

Trends and future of java
Trends and future of javaTrends and future of java
Trends and future of javaCsaba Toth
 
Google Compute Engine
Google Compute EngineGoogle Compute Engine
Google Compute EngineCsaba Toth
 
Google App Engine
Google App EngineGoogle App Engine
Google App EngineCsaba Toth
 
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce website
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce websiteSetting up a free open source java e-commerce website
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce websiteCsaba Toth
 
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSR
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSRCCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSR
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSRCsaba Toth
 
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App Engine
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App EngineGoogle Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App Engine
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App EngineCsaba Toth
 
Hive and Pig for .NET User Group
Hive and Pig for .NET User GroupHive and Pig for .NET User Group
Hive and Pig for .NET User GroupCsaba Toth
 
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User Group
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User GroupHadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User Group
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User GroupCsaba Toth
 
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduce
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduceIntroduction to Hadoop and MapReduce
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduceCsaba Toth
 
Introduction into windows 8 application development
Introduction into windows 8 application developmentIntroduction into windows 8 application development
Introduction into windows 8 application developmentCsaba Toth
 
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research setting
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research settingUps and downs of enterprise Java app in a research setting
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research settingCsaba Toth
 
Adopt a JSR NJUG edition
Adopt a JSR NJUG editionAdopt a JSR NJUG edition
Adopt a JSR NJUG editionCsaba Toth
 

Mais de Csaba Toth (12)

Trends and future of java
Trends and future of javaTrends and future of java
Trends and future of java
 
Google Compute Engine
Google Compute EngineGoogle Compute Engine
Google Compute Engine
 
Google App Engine
Google App EngineGoogle App Engine
Google App Engine
 
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce website
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce websiteSetting up a free open source java e-commerce website
Setting up a free open source java e-commerce website
 
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSR
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSRCCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSR
CCJUG inaugural meeting and Adopt a JSR
 
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App Engine
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App EngineGoogle Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App Engine
Google Cloud Platform, Compute Engine, and App Engine
 
Hive and Pig for .NET User Group
Hive and Pig for .NET User GroupHive and Pig for .NET User Group
Hive and Pig for .NET User Group
 
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User Group
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User GroupHadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User Group
Hadoop and Mapreduce for .NET User Group
 
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduce
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduceIntroduction to Hadoop and MapReduce
Introduction to Hadoop and MapReduce
 
Introduction into windows 8 application development
Introduction into windows 8 application developmentIntroduction into windows 8 application development
Introduction into windows 8 application development
 
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research setting
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research settingUps and downs of enterprise Java app in a research setting
Ups and downs of enterprise Java app in a research setting
 
Adopt a JSR NJUG edition
Adopt a JSR NJUG editionAdopt a JSR NJUG edition
Adopt a JSR NJUG edition
 

Último

Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdf
Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdfExploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdf
Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdfdrsk203
 
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptation
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptationItem 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptation
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptationOECD Environment
 
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdf
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdfEcosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdf
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdfMUKUL GAUR
 
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders Incentive Scheme for Smallholders
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders CIFOR-ICRAF
 
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.ppt
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.pptI MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.ppt
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.pptaigil2
 
PPT TLE 7 and 8 Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptx
PPT TLE 7 and 8  Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptxPPT TLE 7 and 8  Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptx
PPT TLE 7 and 8 Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptxCrislynBaados
 
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in Amsterdam
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in AmsterdamGreen Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in Amsterdam
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in AmsterdamDIGITALCONFEX
 
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - Epcon
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - EpconThe Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - Epcon
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - EpconEpconLP
 
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instruments
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instrumentsItem 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instruments
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instrumentsOECD Environment
 
Item 2. a Update from the Secretariat
Item 2. a Update from the SecretariatItem 2. a Update from the Secretariat
Item 2. a Update from the SecretariatOECD Environment
 
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA Regulations
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA RegulationsPersonal Protective Equipment OSHA Regulations
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA RegulationsATI Construction Products
 
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slides
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slidesEC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slides
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slidesweADAPT
 
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26OECD Environment
 
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free Coffee
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free CoffeeSupporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free Coffee
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free CoffeeCIFOR-ICRAF
 
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdf
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdfGreen Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdf
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdfOECD Environment
 
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?Bluebird Solar Pvt. Ltd.
 
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainability
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainabilityCapacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainability
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainabilityCIFOR-ICRAF
 
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docxJeneroseBaldoza
 
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulation
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulationPathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulation
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulationCIFOR-ICRAF
 

Último (20)

Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdf
Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdfExploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdf
Exploring the snake evolution (wild's gravity).pdf
 
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptation
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptationItem 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptation
Item 7. Discussion on PWB 2023-24 work related to adaptation
 
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdf
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdfEcosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdf
Ecosystem and their types ||Environmental Science||.pdf
 
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders Incentive Scheme for Smallholders
Incentive Scheme for Smallholders
 
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.ppt
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.pptI MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.ppt
I MSc II Semester - Characteristics of a population.ppt
 
PPT TLE 7 and 8 Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptx
PPT TLE 7 and 8  Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptxPPT TLE 7 and 8  Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptx
PPT TLE 7 and 8 Q3 AGRI CROP QUIZ 2.pptx
 
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in Amsterdam
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in AmsterdamGreen Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in Amsterdam
Green Horizons: Ecotourism Conference 2024 in Amsterdam
 
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - Epcon
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - EpconThe Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - Epcon
The Dark Cloud of Global Air Pollution - Epcon
 
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instruments
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instrumentsItem 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instruments
Item 6. Revision and consolidation of energy-related legal instruments
 
Item 2. a Update from the Secretariat
Item 2. a Update from the SecretariatItem 2. a Update from the Secretariat
Item 2. a Update from the Secretariat
 
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA Regulations
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA RegulationsPersonal Protective Equipment OSHA Regulations
Personal Protective Equipment OSHA Regulations
 
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slides
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slidesEC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slides
EC-funded Projects and CAPs Webinar slides
 
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26
Item 3. Developing EPOC’s PWB related to mitigation for 2025-26
 
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free Coffee
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free CoffeeSupporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free Coffee
Supporting Farmer Transition to Produce Deforestation-Free Coffee
 
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdf
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdfGreen Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdf
Green Giraffe Advisory: Offshore wind market today.pdf
 
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?
How do TOPCon Solar Cells/Solar Panel Work?
 
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainability
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainabilityCapacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainability
Capacity Building in oil palm trade and sustainability
 
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx
4th Earthquake Drill Narraative Report.docx
 
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulation
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulationPathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulation
Pathways to sustainable trade and system dynamic simulation
 
International Day of Forests 2024
International Day of Forests 2024International Day of Forests 2024
International Day of Forests 2024
 

Toxic Sludges in Central Europe

  • 1. Toxic sludges in Central Europe by Csaba Toth For CSU Fresno Hydrology (EES117) class 09/27/2012 Thanks for materials to Wikipedia
  • 2. Two sludges 1. Cyanide spill in January 30, 2000 – “the worst environmental disaster in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster” 2. Red mud toxic sludge in 4 October 2010
  • 5. Carpathian/Pannonian Basin Similarities with Central Valley: great plains, and air conditions (air stuck in basin, fog somtimes)
  • 6. Tisza River • Tisza or Tisa is one of the main rivers of Central Europe
  • 7. Tisza River • Drains an area of about 60,266 sq mi • Length of 600 mi • Biggest catchment and length of any of Danube tributaries • Mean annual discharge of 28,000 cu ft/s • Its contribution to the Danube's total runoff is about 13% • Attila the Hun is said to have been buried under a diverted section of the river Tisza
  • 8. Danube River • Europe's second longest river after the Volga
  • 9. Danube River • Originates from Germany, Black Forest • Drains an area of about 315,445 sq mi • Mean discharge of 229,545 ft3/s (at Budapest: 82,989 ft3/s, Mississippi: 593,000 ft3/s) • Once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire • Passes through or touches the borders of ten countries: Romania (29.0% of basin area), Hungary (11.6%), Serbia (10.2%), Austria (10.0%), Germany (7.0%), Bulgaria (5.9%), Slovakia (5.9%), Croatia (4.4%), Ukraine (3.8%), and Moldova (1.6%)
  • 10. Danube River • Along its course, it is a source of drinking water for about 20 million people • Passing through four Central European capitals before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine 1. Vienna – capital of Austria 2. Bratislava – capital of Slovakia 3. Budapest – capital of Hungary 4. Belgrade – capital of Serbia • The delta’s approximate surface is 1603 mile², it is a UNESCO heritage
  • 11. 1. Cyanide spill - January 30, 2000 • The spill has been called the worst environmental disaster in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster • Originating location: Nagybánya (Baia Mare in Romanian), 600 kilometers from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometers from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometers from the border with Ukraine • Time: January 30, 2000, night • Affected the Tisza and then the Danube
  • 12. 1. Cyanide spill - January 30, 2000
  • 13. Gold mining • Gold mining company Aurul, a joint-venture of the Australian company Esmeralda Exploration and the Romanian government • Cleaning up byproduct of gold mining, the toxic tailings, Aurul extracted remaining gold from it via gold cyanidation • The company then shipped its waste product to a dam (contains a lot of cyanide, also has some heavy metals and other yummy stuff)
  • 14. The spill itself • 100,000 cubic meters of cyanide-contaminated water (containing an estimated 100 tons of cyanides) spilled • Into the Someş river, then Tisza, Danube • Cyanide concentrations of over 700 times the permitted levels • More than 1,400 tons of fish, numerous eagles, storks and otters all died • In addition to cyanide, heavy metals were also washed into the river and they have a long-lasting negative impact on the environment
  • 15. Aftermath • Esmeralda Exploration blamed excessive snowfall for the dam failure (srsly?) • "The Tisza has been killed. Not even bacteria have survived" - Serbia's Environment minister Branislav Blazic – "This is a total catastrophe." • After the cyanide entered the Danube, the large volume of the river's water diluted the cyanide, but in some sections it still remained as high as 20 to 50 times the allowed concentration • Brett Montgomery, the chairman of the mine operator, Esmeralda, denied responsibility, claiming that the damage of the spill has been "grossly exaggerated" and that the fish died in such numbers because of lack of oxygen due to the freezing of the river. (yeah, right!)
  • 16. More reactions • A spokesman for the company later claimed that media reports from Hungary and Serbia are politically motivated and the fish were killed by spills from industrial plants along the Tisza, due to the dynamite explosions used to break the ice locks on the river or simply due to the raw sewage pumped into the river. – My two cents on this as a flat water kayaker on the Danube for 20 years: waste water treatment significantly improved in Hungary over the years, especially after the system change. The various industry plants which contaminated the water got closed down because of economic reasons.
  • 17. More reactions • It’s also interesting to note that Romania ate its own dog food: the Tisza flows into the Danube, and the Danube flows back to they! Rather deny allegations then admit a fault – congrats! • The Hungarian government called the storing of cyanide next to a river madness and argued that the weather was not unprecedented. – with a little digging we can see if this is right
  • 18. Aftermath – there you go • Five weeks later, a spill of contaminated waters (this time with heavy metals) hit the region.[3] A dyke burst in Baia Borş, Maramureş County and 20,000 cubic meters of zinc, lead and copper-contaminated water made its way into the Tisza. • A year later, another cyanide spill occurred in Romania, this time being a deliberate emptying of cyanide solutions into the Siret River. • Two years after the spill, the ecosystem began to recover, but it was still far from its initial state, as the fishermen of Hungary claim that their catches are only at a fifth of their original levels.
  • 19. Aftermath • While Romania and the Australian gold mining company denied everything and didn’t show too much sorrow about the incident, Australian Greenpeace activists communicated their deep sorrow about the tragedy and felt ashamed in the name of the Romanian government and the gold mining company.
  • 20. 2. Red mud sludge, 4 October 2010 • Locations. Kolontár, Hungary
  • 21. Red mud sludge • NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite
  • 22. Aluminium production from bauxite • waste product of the Bayer process, which refines bauxite into a form of aluminium oxide called alumina • The byproduct mud primarily contains non- aluminium compounds present in the bauxite ore and left as residues after its refining along with sodium hydroxide used to dissolve aluminium oxide – notice NaOH, extreme pH! • red mud does not contain “very high” levels of heavy metals, although still about seven times the levels in normal soil • Very slightly radioactive
  • 23. The spill • dam of reservoir no. 10 collapsed • freeing approximately 35 million cubic feet of liquid waste from red mud lakes • The mud was released as a 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall wave, flooding several nearby localities • At least nine people died, and 122 people were injured • About 15 sq mi of land were initially affected
  • 24. Danger • Immediate: extremely basic, with a pH value of 13 (remember NaOH) • 80–90 people had been taken to hospital • severe chemical burns to human and animals and killing specimens in the rivers and in the contaminated soils • levels of chromium 660 mg/kg, arsenic 110 mg/kg and mercury 1.2 mg/kg.
  • 25. Danger • Extreme basic pH caustic effects on the skin is very different, than an extreme acidic effect: you don’t feel the damage right away like with an acid, real damage kicks in only with a large delay (but non-reversible). • Hungarian news showed footages as catastrophe response teams were pouring industrial citric acid and vinegar into the affected small rivers to counteract the extreme pH of NaOH • The radioactivity of the sludge is negligible (comparable to the background radiation), doesn’t have real impact
  • 26. Long Term Danger • Once the sludge dries, various toxic compounds are picked up by the wind – This can cause coughing, lung and respiratory irritation – Trigger asthma, make asthma worse – Worse for children and elderly people • Personal suspicion (not proven): these dams were used to store other toxic waste products than just the bauxite mining
  • 27. Aftermath • The CEOs of the bauxit mining company were detractive towards the effect of the sludge. (The CEO were standing on the stairs at the sludge dam, and stated that “It’s harmless”. The governmental representative replied: “Then jump in, and swim in it!”) • The CEOs were cited to a lawsuit • The CEOs had power during the communist era and could get hold and save that governmental industry into their own personal wealth only for pennies (same happened with almost every big industry and valuable asset after the system change) • These days the lawsuit seems to not have any result, still going on but money can by very good defense
  • 28. Bottom line notes • Bauxite contains lower percentage of aluminum than an aluminum ore, extraction requires more effort (hence the toxic dam) • But Hungarian bauxit contained unusually high percentage of titanium! • Unfortunately during the communist era that very valuable titanium was just simply taken away by the soviets (for free, since Hungary was a “friend” and communist “brother”), and most probably used for military industry
  • 29. Bottom line notes • Hungary is famous for its baths, there are thousands of thermal springs all across the country, good for treating various health issues • Heavy industry mining impacted the yield of those spring throughout the years • Now there’s no more mining and Hungary is just blessed with the enormous amount of toxic waste – sitting and waiting to spill one day (there are many more container pools like the one which spilled) • Titanium is gone too as I mentioned
  • 30. Aftermath • The mining company stated that they performed all mandatory check annually and regularly on the dam • Many local people stated that it was common knowledge that the dams were leaking • The disaster happened after an unusually rainy period, seemingly the dam wall cracked and slipped • (Some conspiracy theorists say it was caused by a bomb)
  • 32. Future after red mud catastrophe? • Red mud cleanup seems to be successful • But people lost their homes and they won’t return any more to the disaster area • The leaders of the • USA has dry technology, not dangerous in terms of potential spills, but more costly (you have to neutralize the NaOH and have to prevent the disperse of the dried sludge dust, which can cause irritation)
  • 33. Future after cyanide spills? • Bigger project than ever before planned: Gold mining at Verespatak • Means bigger than ever before cyanide dam • The campaign against the gold mining at Roșia Montană was one of the largest campaigns over a non-political cause in the last 20 years in Romania. A plethora of organizations spoke out against the project, from Greenpeace to the Romanian Academy. Nevertheless, in late 2009, the Romanian government announced it made starting the project a priority. – congratulations!
  • 34. Comparison • The red mud sludge looked really nasty, that’s why it hit the news • The cyanide spill was a rally scary invisible and silent mass murderer • Although people died as a result of the red mud incident, it affected smaller area than the cyanide spill, easier to remediate • There was an international lawsuit about the cyanide spill, but we only won some pennies basically
  • 35. Summary • Tremendous damage because of negligence and money hunger • The responsible parties deny allegations, don’t learn • Money compensation (which can be used for remediation) is often negligible, laughable