Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:51:57 +0100

From: "Nagy, S.P. " <[email protected]>

Subject: Cyanide spill

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Dear Partners,

I am sending you an overview compiled by the Secretariat for your

information and if you want to use in your PR work.

Reports have been flooding in of a major ecological disaster in Eastern

Europe. Although the threats to bird populations in the region are not clear

at present, here are a few details of the disaster that you may find useful

for press releases on this issue.

What happened?

On 30th January, 100,000 cubic metres of contaminated water burst through a

dam at the Aural mining works in Baia Mare, northern Romania. The accident

happened when a reservoir used for processing gold overflowed its dam at the

Aural gold and silver mine. The contaminated water first entered the Somes

River where tests showed cyanide concentrations were 700 times the permitted

level. From there it continued onwards to the Tisza, where it has been

killing everything in its path. Since then, it has flowed into the Danube

River in Yugoslavia, but scientists say the cyanide in it has now been

diluted to within safe limits. Dead fish have now also been found in Danube

itself.

What are the immediate effects?

A 25-mile long flow of toxic cyanide has wiped out the Tisza River's entire

ecosystem in a matter of days - everything from microbes to otters. In terms

of complete destruction to one ecosystem this is probably a worse disaster

than Chernobyl in 1986.

Around 650 tonnes of dead fish have been retrieved so far in Hungary and

this figure is expected to double in the next week. The mine operators have

suggested the fish could be dying from depleted oxygen levels, which can

happen when rivers freeze over or flood. But Hungarian officials say that

the weather, while unusual, was not unprecedented.

The drinking supplies of 2.5 million people are threatened and an estimated

15,000 people in the fishing industry have seen their livelihood vanish.

About 80% of life in the Serbian section of the Tisza has reportedly been

killed off.

If the poisoned water filters into the soil it could affect grass, grain and

livestock.

What poisons were released?

Cyanide, which is widely used in gold and silver mining during the

extraction process. In their free state, cyanide ions are highly toxic to

all forms of life, particularly to fish. Fish are 1000 times more sensitive

to cyanide than humans. However, cyanide is not an accumulative poison, so

as the spillage becomes diluted, the threat from cyanide poisoning will

lessen, as the pollution washes downstream.

Heavy metals were probably also washed into the river. These take much

longer to be removed from the environment and could enter the water table.

They are a significant long-term risk.

What will happen to the poison now?

The cyanide will eventually become bound up in stable ions, such as

hexacyanoferrate ions or broken down. Bound in stable ions it is generally

non-toxic. For example, potassium hexacyanoferrate is a commonly used

anti-caking agent in table salt.

The heavy metals released during the spill are potentially highly toxic in

the long-term as they are cumulative poisons. At present there is no

information available about which heavy metals are involved or what is the

extent of the contamination by them.

What are the effects upon important bird habitats? The disaster happened as

Hungary was in the middle of applying to have part of the Tisza River placed

under the Ramsar Convention, a treaty designed to preserve wetlands of

international importance.

Several Important Bird Areas may be affected. These include:

The Danube Delta, Romania

The dilution of the cyanide should mean this poison should not affect bird

populations in the delta. However, the effects of the heavy metal

contamination here may be significant over the longer-term. The Danube Delta

is the most extensive wetland in Europe after the Volga Delta. Reedbeds

cover large areas and total 160,000 ha. It is one of Europe's most important

sites for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds, particularly ducks,

and regularly holds more than 20,000 birds.

Szatmar-Bereg plain

Bordered by the Szamos River. Athough it is selected as IBA for Corncrake it

holds important heronries with night herons Nycticorax nycticorax and

several pairs of black storks Ciconia nigra. Luckily this birds not

returned yet.

The Upper Tisza River, Hungary

This is the area of inundated flood-plain bordering the River Tisza. It is

the most important breeding site for Sand Martins in Central Europe.

Fortunately these birds will be no their wintering grounds in Africa at the

moment, but they will return to their breeding site in a matter of weeks.

Kiskore water reservoir

A part of the Hortobagy National Park, designated as Ramsar Site. An

important area for breeding waterbirds including squacco heron Ardeola

ralloides and and also for migratory birds. Luckily the water management

authorities managed to separate the main water body of the reservoir from

the riverbed where the spill went down.

Pusztaszer Landscape Protection Area

An area with important heronries close to town Szeged. Important area for

migratory waterbirds on spring and autumn passage. Luckily the local

volunteers did not reported significant mortality in birds.

Danube loess bluffs, Yugoslavia

These steep loess bluffs border the Danube River. However, the low-lying

areas are undermined by the main river current at times of high flow (such

as now). It is an important wintering ground for Pygmy Cormorants and

smaller numbers of Red-breasted Geese and White-tailed Eagles occur.

What has been the effect on birds?

Little information is currently available, but there is a concern that

birds, such as the globally threatened White-tailed Eagle, that feed on dead

fish may be affected. One White-tailed Eagle has already died from eating

toxic fish and another is sick. Dead gulls, Mallards and Cormorants have

been discovered.

What is being done to clean up the area?

Volunteers and fishermen are working around the clock to remove the dead

fish to stop the disaster spreading further up the food chain. People are

trying to keep larger animals away, but they have already found dead foxes

and otters.

What are the longer-term effects?

Hungarian Environment Minister Pal Pepo told reporters in Baia Mare "It will

take up to 10 years for Hungary's water eco-system to recover."

Around 62 types of fish and 20 protected species have been affected.

Biologists say it will take about five years to restock the fish and 10 to

20 years for river life to return. They believe some of the damage is

irreversible with several species thought to be gone forever.

Who owns the mine?

The mine is run as a joint venture between the Australian company Esmerelda

Exploration, which owns 50% of the mine and the Romanian Government.

Esmerelda was suspended from trading on the Australian share market last

week.

Margot Wallstrom is going to fly over the Tisza river by

helicopter and visit the source of the spill on Thursday. She will meet with

the Hungarian and Romanian ministers of environment. She is going to

consider the opportunities to allocate Phare funds to provide assistance to

the rehabilitation.

The Hungarian Government appointed Dr. Janos Gonczy, the

director of Balaton Fishfarm Co., as government commissioner to coordinate

the work of different ministries. His main objective to restore the fish

fauna of the river and secure the livelihood of the fishermen along the

river. [???]

Five parties of the Hungarian parliament agreed to establish

an ad hoc committee to investigate the socio-economic consequences of the

catastrophe and draw up a vision for the rehabilitation. [???]

Zsolt Nemeth, Secretary of State to the Hungarian Ministry

of Foreign Affairs agreed with his Romanian counterpart Mihai-Razvan

Ungureanu about establishing a joint committee to investigate how the

accident happened and who is responsible for it. Furthermore, Romania

promised quick ratification of a new environmental agreement with Hungary

and the revision of the agreements about the transboundary waters and the

prevention of catastrophe.

The Hungarian Government is going to initiate an

environmental protection programme for the Carpathian Basin and count on the

assistance of the European Countries.