Red mud spill leaves 4 dead and many injured in Hungary
An environmental disaster keeps the global media concerned these days. From The New York Times through the Al Jazeera to the leading internet news provider of Hungary, the Index. This is truly an incident to be worried about. The facts: the ground container of red mud, a waste of aluminum production broke on Monday early afternoon, releasing 700,000 cubic meters or 24 million cubic feet of highly toxic and extremely alkaline liquid, killing 4 people, sweping cars off roads and damaging bridges and houses, forcing the evacuation of about 500 residents. Red mud is a problem for the aluminum industry that was not able to find a solution to this matter for as long as 120 years. Experts say that this was the largest red mud spill in the world to date, however, other countries like India also suffer from such threats.
It seems that the accident was due to negligence since no purposeful human action or extraordinary weather situation preceded the event. The aluminum factory has undergone an EIA and has an IPPC permit, however, its activity was immediately suspended by the competent Regional EPA after the spill. Both the EPA and the Emergency Response Agency provides information to the public, however, the latter seems more active in this, releasing timely (hourly or even more frequent) updates to the public on the Internet. The EPA is limiting public information to permit-related matters, not yet examining the short or long term environmental impacts of the spill. Also the Public Health Agency discloses data about the potential health impacts of the accindent.
Due to the lack of class action in Hungary, unfortunately the damaged individuals and municipalities will have to take individual legal actions against the aluminum company, also because the European Law (althougth covers such incidents) does not regulate private law damages in such cases.
4 Comments
Red mud - Jamaican perspective
So sorry for this environmental disaster Csaba. In Jamaica we have a similar problem with bauxite companies not knowing what to do with mud lakes they have created over the years. Two of the most well known lakes are at Kirkvine and Mount Rosser. It has been estimated that over the last fourty years millions of tonnes of red mud and other toxic waste have been accumulated.. Its a frightening by-product. Our greatest fear is earthquakes. Their have been some attempts to make concrete bricks out of the red mud.
In Jamaica the Bauxite Industry is not managed by the environmental regulatory authority. Instead the Jamaica Bauxite Institute which manages the industry, revenues and negotiations is in charge of environmental performance. This has been an on-going fight of environmentalists in Jamaica for the last 10 years calling for the environmental regulatory agency NEPA to revoke its delegation of authority to the agency which manages the bauxite industry on behalf of the government. A recent report in the Jamaican news really shows our clear connection with this tragedy http://rjrnewsonline.com/news/local/pnp-calls-audit-bauxite-...
Our prayers go out to the families who have been lost.We know your work will help in ensuring that this wrong is redressed.
Red mud spill leaves 4 dead and many injured in Hungary
I am wondering if the immediate Nationalisation of the company is the solution. Using public funds to clean the mess left by profit driven private concerns is a pragmatic action by the Government, but I thought the company will be left to face the consequences (legal claims and rehabilitation costs). The company certainly has insurance policy and this case could have probably revealed other lapses in the chain, if the insurance is not effective. Now with immediate stepping in of the Government to take over, I am not sure the real picture will come out. Csaba, what do you think?
Red mud.
Hello ! I am Hungarian, and i live in Veszprém county . (60km from the Red mud catastrophe) and that’s so weird…We scared of this all..Bit we still think everything will be alright ..LATER! . a lot of people, lot of animal..everything came away.
What can be a solution?
Dear Augustine, By the way, the title of the article is incorrect: in the meantime, the 9th person died already… I must specify the action the government took in this matter, I think. Actually, what they made (via the Parliament of course) is an amendment of the Home Defence Act. This now enables the government to send out a special manager to any facility and put it under government supervision. But it does not change the ownership of the company, only the decision-making powers of the management are taken away. So “stricto sensu” this is not a nationalisation. Also the liability insurance of the company turned out to cover only USD 50k which is nothing. So I hope still the company will face the claims of damages and rehabilitation. Best, CS
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