Gold Mining News Hubb
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Gold News
  • Mining News
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Gold News
  • Mining News
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
Gold Mining News Hubb
No Result
View All Result
Home Mining News

Mining blamed for Oder River degradation

admin by admin
March 4, 2023
in Mining News


A Greenpeace report claims that Poland’s coal mining industry is to blame for wildlife deaths. (Photo by Douglas Sacha via Getty Images)

Wastewater from coal mining in Poland caused wide-scale degradation of the Oder River in August 2022, a report published by Greenpeace on Thursday claims.

Last summer, 360 tonnes of fish were found dead in the river, which flows between Poland and Germany. Research from Greenpeace claims that wastewater from Poland’s southern coal mining region of Silesia is to blame.

Higher water temperatures and increased salination allowed the algae prymnesium parvum to thrive in the river. This is deadly to both fish and shellfish.

At the time of the incident, the polish government blamed summer droughts for both increased temperatures and higher salination in the river due to lower water volume. Academics and members of the public blamed authorities for not acting for 17 days after thousands of fish washed onto river banks in Western Poland.

Greenpeace took samples to record the salination of various parts of the Oder River. They found that salt levels in the water increased dramatically when the river passed through the coal mining region of Silesia. The organisation believes that wastewater is being discarded into both the Oder River and the Vistula River, cautioning against a similar crisis occurring in the Vistula this summer.

EU supports conclusions

These conclusions are supported by an EU report released last month, which described the situation on the Oder River as “one of the largest ecological disasters in recent European river history”.

The EU report concludes that it is “almost certain” that aquatic life deaths were caused by a substantial toxic algal bloom. Report authors accept that summer droughts were likely a contributing factor, along with changes to river flow. However, they conclude that the high salinity was “probably due, at least partly, to discharges of industrial wastewater with high salt content for instance from mining activities”.  

Report author Leszek Pazderski, professor in the Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, has requested the creation of national park reserves in especially vulnerable parts of the river. He has also called for more restrictive discharge regulations and improved filtration of wastewater from Silesian mines.



Source link

Previous Post

Implats warns of “devastating” impact on Rustenburg as mulls quitting RBPlat bid

Next Post

Which Countries Get the Most Paid Vacation Days? 

Next Post

Which Countries Get the Most Paid Vacation Days? 

Recommended

How we’re checkmating, Ebubeagu, Amotekun, other state-owned security outfits — IGP

November 10, 2022

Investors sue Glencore over “untrue statements” in prospectuses

September 3, 2023

Don't miss it

Gold News

Climate change worsens plight of Nigeria’s cocoa farmers

September 30, 2023
Mining News

Kazatomprom plans uranium production increase in 2025

September 30, 2023
Gold News

Portia Derby bows to critics announcing resignation from Transnet

September 30, 2023
Gold News

Unlocking Guinea-Conakry’s Hydrocarbon Potential

September 30, 2023
Gold News

Weah faces Boakai, others again as Liberians prepare to elect new president

September 29, 2023
Mining News

Atlas Materials secures $27m for nickel technology for EV batteries

September 29, 2023
gold mining-66

© Gold Mining News Hubb All rights reserved.

Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Gold News
  • Mining News
  • Contact us

Newsletter Sign Up

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Gold News
  • Mining News
  • Contact us

© 2022 Gold Mining News Hubb All rights reserved.