Hungary toxic sludge spill an 'ecological catastrophe'

[bcbm]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/10/5/1286295612494/hungary-sludge-toxic-wast-004.jpg

Hungary (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/hungary) today declared a state of emergency in three western counties after a dam holding back a vast reservoir of toxic red sludge, from an alumina plant, burst, killing four people and injuring 120 others in what officials said was an "ecological catastrophe".

An elderly woman, a young man and a three-year-old child died in the deluge and six others were reported missing. Two of the injured were in a serious condition.

The sludge, which is waste produced during aluminium manufacture, swept cars off roads and damaged bridges and homes, forcing the evacuation of 400 residents. About 7,000 people are thought to have been directly affected by the spill.


continued:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/05/hungary-toxic-sludge-spill

and could a mod fix the spelling error in the title? its hard typing without the use of 1 finger...

[AK]

Hungary*

How could you misspell it when it's the first word in the article?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

What the hell were they doing keeping toxic waste behind a dam? :blink: Surely it makes more sense to keep it at the lowest elevation possible, so it has nowhere to spill...

Spelling error corrected.

[Widerstand]

I love how some Hungarian politician announced on TV that they want to keep the factory running, because, if they don't, "the factory owners won't make money to repay the damage".

Haha.

Yeah right.

[EvilRedGuy]

I love how some Hungarian politician announced on TV that they want to keep the factory running, because, if they don't, "the factory owners won't make money to repay the damage".

Haha.

Yeah right.

This.

[bcbm]

Hungary*

How could you misspell it when it's the first word in the article?


and could a mod fix the spelling error in the title? its hard typing without the use of 1 finger...

i noted the spelling error 8 hours before you made your post, and explained how it happened. sheesh

[AK]

I didn't see it...

[bcbm]

the spill has now reached the danube (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69415O20101007)

[Ovi]

Of course, things like this could have been completely avoided. Instead of storing the sludge, they could have done a better job recycling the sodium hydroxide contained in it, neutralize the rest before it spills anywhere and perhaps even store it back at the mine where it was mined from. But that would hurt profits.

[meow]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/10/2010108410145825.html


The company at the centre of Hungary's toxic sludge leak said it has released $150,000 to local authorities to help deal with the disaster, while insisting it has done nothing wrong. According to the mayor of one of the villages worst hit by the sludge, the sum from MAL Hungarian Aluminium Production and Trade Company would give payments of $504 to each family affected by the leak.
Tania Page, Al Jazeera's reporter in Kolontar, said 34 homes in the village have been made completely uninhabitable and that authorities said it may take up to a year to get the affected area back to normal.
"They may have to remove a lot of the topsoil around here. If you think of that, $150,000 is literally just a drop in the ocean in terms of how much money is needed to fix the situation," she said.


this company should be made to die. all the money it has should be taken. given to victims and use to clean up mess.

companys do this because the cost of mistake is nothing. the cost of pollution needs to actualy match the cost of clean up.



of course the best way to stop this happening is to abolish capitalism.

[pranabjyoti]

Actually if you ask me, I myself like such kind of incidents a few more, not only in Hungary but also in Poland (specially), Czeck Republic, Slovakia, Romania and some other places. People of third world countries are facing such problems nearly everyday and it may seem cynical, but seeing Europeans are suffering from the same factors means now that part of Europe is now part of Third world and in future, they have to accept this kind of behavior from capitalists and imperialists and (sighhhh) probably they can put very little resistance to that.

[Ele'ill]

The correct ultimatum was never offered. They're worried about the factory closing instead of worrying about their lives.

[Ele'ill]

Is there anything positive going on in the world? Can I see it please?

[ComradeOm]

The good news is that the Danube seems to have escaped the worst (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/08/toxic-sludge-fails-damage-danube). The bad news is that another wave is on its way (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/10/hungary-sludge-toxic-red-waste-spill)


Actually if you ask me, I myself like such kind of incidents a few more, not only in Hungary but also in Poland (specially), Czeck Republic, Slovakia, Romania and some other places. People of third world countries are facing such problems nearly everyday and it may seem cynical, but seeing Europeans are suffering from the same factors means now that part of Europe is now part of Third world and in future, they have to accept this kind of behavior from capitalists and imperialists and (sighhhh) probably they can put very little resistance to that.Spread the misery, huh? What a misanthropic little creature you are

[pranabjyoti]

The good news is that the Danube seems to have escaped the worst (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/08/toxic-sludge-fails-damage-danube). The bad news is that another wave is on its way (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/10/hungary-sludge-toxic-red-waste-spill)

Spread the misery, huh? What a misanthropic little creature you are
The misery has been already spread. It's just an expression of that. Such incidents are inevitable, when you invite capitalism-imperialism.

[bcbm]

the chief executive has now been arrested (http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3036069.htm) while a new dam is being quickly built to try and prevent further flooding

[EvilRedGuy]

This is good to hear.

[pranabjyoti]

the chief executive has now been arrested (http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3036069.htm) while a new dam is being quickly built to try and prevent further flooding
Nothing more than an eyewash in my opinion.

[bcbm]

big surprise here:

photo shows trouble at toxic sludge pool months earlier (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_6_0_t&bvm=list&topic=blended&usg=AFQjCNF2m5qfsfzwt_W7zPi_fm--8pD-yQ&cid=8797604268223&ei=k7y0TOj0L4bSNeDD9ewB&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.msn.com%2Fid%2F39635749 %2Fns%2Fworld_news-world_environment%2F)