Introduction
On October 4 2010 a reservoir in Hungary containing toxic sludge from aluminum ore processing, was breached spilling the harmful contents onto the villages and over the adjacent countryside. The chemical components of the sludge are the main issue of concern due to the potential health and environmental hazards that could arise if not checked properly and thoroughly. With particular health concerns, the sludge has been found to contain some heavy metal elements in significant amounts that warrant the possibility of some health risks. Such chemical pollutions result in long-term health complications that are evident much later and which can affect several generations (Turncock 2007). The particular heavy metals are arsenic, chrome and mercury which are associated with life-threatening conditions like Cancer and heavy metal poisoning (Independent 2010).
Cause and Severity of the spill
The spill was apparently a result of the containing dam wall being weak and the ensuing heavy rains rapidly increased the volume of the contents resulting in breaking of the reservoir. Over 150 million gallons of the red mud flooded an area of about 16 square miles resulting in the death of 5 people and the hospitalization of slightly above 100 people, mostly due to chemical burns. Concentration tests indicate that the combined amount of the heavy metals to be around 350 tons most of it being chrome.
The authorities had to deal with reports that the spill would cause more danger to a lot more people if it found its sway onto the Danube River. Homes, property and the residents’ livelihoods have been destroyed and their lives put temporarily on hold. The heavy metals may also find their way into underground water systems from which they can be ingested by people unaware of such a possibility. Fishing on the river has also been affected with a good number of fish dying and the remaining fish being harmful for human consumption since they could have ingested these heavy metals (Szakacs and Than 2010).
To further compound the situation, dry weather has been causing the mud to turn into dust transferrable by air which could result in respiratory problems if these compounds are inhaled. Local rivers have suffered a great deal since their small volumes can not effectively neutralize the alkaline effect of the sludge, and as a result, some of the waterways have been declared dead. Apart from direct implications on people’s health, other risk factors involve agriculture where the topsoil has been rendered practically infertile and will have to be replaced. The immediate risks are minimal but over time they could cause significant concern (Rosenthal 2010).
Intervention measures
After the spill some immediate measures were undertaken to avoid the situation getting out of hand. The people of the nearby village were immediately evacuated to avoid further contact with the toxic mud. The reservoir wall which is suspected to have been weak before the spill, was strengthened through the addition of a stronger outer wall to prevent further future spills. The company responsible for the sludge was temporarily shut down and the boss suspended.
In dealing with the effluent itself, the Hungarian government through the military, instituted a wash-up of the residential areas in order to dilute the alkaline sludge and therefore, reduce its burning effect on the skin. Some gypsum in the form of plaster has also been used to neutralize the sludge since it effectively stops its spread by somehow trapping it. The plaster was used particularly in the rivers and canals. All of this was being done while tests were carried out to determine the constituents of the slurry, specifically whether there was danger in terms of radiation and the levels of the heavy metals.
The contaminated water is being constantly checked by the environmental researchers for levels of toxicity and their toll on aquatic life. Water being consumed is also constantly being examined to ensure that it is not contaminated. Fish products from the contaminated rivers are banned from consumption. The government has also declared that the affected homes will be decontaminated (Rosenthal 2010). Since prevention is the best cure, possible health risks portended by such environmental pollution can therefore be preempted by proper planning and adequate safeguards against these dangers (Turnock 2007).
Recommendations
The Hungarian government must coordinate its environmental and health departments and do all it can to contain the crisis while safeguarding its citizens from the potential health risks. The scale of the disaster must be properly gauged and documented to ensure that all the people who could be affected are established. Health officials should also screen all the people who came into contact with the sludge and those who live within the spill area and its vicinities.
Clean-up efforts should be thorough and subsequent waste should be dumped safely in an area that will ensure that the hazardous refuse does not endanger human life. As previously highlighted, danger in such a case, does not only lie in direct contamination, health complications may also arise from indirect contamination from consumption of contaminated products. With this in mind fish and other animals from the area should be temporarily blacklisted and not consumed; all that is being consumed should come from outside sources and be handled carefully.
Finally, such plants that are a potential hazard to communities must be located in an uninhabited area where possible and if not a respectable distance between the plants and settlements should be imposed.
References List
Danube ‘neutralizing toxic sludge’. (2010). Independent.
Rosenthal, E. (2010). Hungarian Towns Begin Cleanup of Nightmarish Red Sludge. New York Times. Web.
Szakacs, G. and Than, K. (2010). Red sludge kills four, injures over 100 in Hungary; state of emergency declared. Christian Science Monitor.
Turnock, B. (2007). Essentials of Public Health. (1st edition). New York: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.