People all over the world for peace and democracy、united! Go all out for a democratic China! Democracy、Freedom、Fairness、Rule by Law、Human Right、Better Life!
Homepage - > NewsandArticles
WWF: Toxic Sludge Leaking for Months in Hungary
Date: 10/9/2010 9:33:01 AM Sender: VOA
WWF: Toxic Sludge Leaking for Months in Hungary

按此在新窗口浏览图片
In this photo made available 09 Oct 2010, police and army officials are helping during the evacuation of western Hungary＇s village of Kolontar, 08 Oct 2010

An environmental protection group says the wall of a toxic sludge reservoir that burst earlier this week in Hungary has been leaking for months.

WWF said Saturday the disaster that flooded several towns with toxic waste could have been avoided.  The Swiss-based organization said aerial pictures taken in June and published on its website "clearly" show toxic mud leaking from the sludge reservoir.

WWF＇s director says the incident points to "neglect" and poor regulation of the facility.

The general manager of the aluminum company＇s sludge plant told VOA the bursting of the wall was not a "human error."  But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban denied the manager＇s claim.  Orban said the responsible party will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Earlier Saturday, Mr. Orban said the wall of the reservoir that burst Monday is "very likely" to collapse.  The prime minister said the reservoir wall is showing visible cracks.  He said about 500,000 cubic meters of the corrosive material would be released if the wall falls.

He made the comments Saturday after authorities evacuated Kolontar, which is near the damaged reservoir.

Hungarian officials say this week＇s reservoir break released some 700,000 cubic meters of caustic mud.

Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said Friday the escaped sludge has not affected the drinking water supply and is not a threat to the Danube River.  However, the environmental group Greenpeace said tests show a high concentration of heavy metals in the sludge and arsenic levels twice as high as what is normally found in aluminum plant runoff.

The sludge has devastated three Hungarian villages west of Budapest, the capital, and has killed seven people.  More than 120 people have been injured.

中国民主党           主席：王军    China Democracy Party    Chairman: Wang, Jun
Address:               41-25   Kissena   Blvd.   FLR 1 #110,   Flushing,   NY   11355   USA
 Website:                            http://www.cdpwu.org                                 http://www.cdpwu.org/en
  E-mail: cdpwu1998@gmail.com  cdpwu@yahoo.com(yahoo email Password Stolen Dont Use)