Environmental Crisis in the River Oder

Fallax

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
This story does not seem to have been as mainstream here in the UK as I believe it should be (I can imagine it is much bigger over in Germany and Poland).

Dead fish in River Oder on Poland-Germany border spur contamination probe

Tonnes of dead fish have been hauled out of the River Oder, which flows along part of Poland's border with Germany, and officials warned people not to enter the water while the Polish government pledged to investigate possible contamination.

Volunteers and anglers have removed at least 10 tonnes of dead fish from the 200km stretch of the river north of Olawa in south-west Poland, Przemyslaw Daca, head of State Water Holding , said on Thursday (Aug 11).

Daca, whose agency manages Polish national waters, called the situation a gigantic ecological catastrophe.

It's quite possible that the river's ecosystem may have been irreversibly damaged from what is currently believed to be mercury poisoning. On top of that, there is of course immense health risks to humans as well. This is an absolutely awful catastrophe.
 
This is an absolutely monstrous ecological disaster. The fact that the Polish government hid this disaster for two weeks while still allowing the pollutants to destroy the river is horrible and not informing the people who rely on the river for survival is straight out of Chernobyl and should be immediately investigated. This story is far bigger than what is being reported on my opinion and needs to be front page news. What are the realistic steps that can be taken to repair the river and restore its ecology?
 
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