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'Dead fish everywhere' in Germany, Poland, after feared chemical waste dump
Issued on: 13/08/2022 - 08:00
Modified: 13/08/2022 - 07:59
Schwedt (Germany) (AFP) – Thousands of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water.
The fish floating by the German banks near the eastern town of Schwedt are believed to have washed upstream from Poland where first reports of mass fish deaths were made by locals and anglers as early as on July 28.
German officials accused Polish authorities of failing to inform them about the deaths, and were taken by surprise when the wave of lifeless fish came floating into view.
In Poland, the government has also come under heavy criticism for failing to take swift action.
Almost two weeks after the first dead fish appeared floating by Polish villages, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday that "everyone had initially thought that it was a local problem".
But he admitted that the "scale of the disaster is very large, sufficiently large to say that the Oder will need years to recover its natural state."
"Probably enormous quantities of chemical waste was dumped into the river in full knowledge of the risk and consequences," added the Polish leader, as German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke urged a comprehensive probe into what she called a brewing "environmental disaster".
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Mateusz Morawiecki
Yesterday at 9:08 AM ·
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The situation related to the poisoning of one of the largest Polish rivers - the Oder - became the most important topic of public debate within a dozen or so hours.
I fully share your concerns and indignation about this issue and will do everything possible to minimize the effects of the contamination and its impact on the ecosystem as soon as possible.
We want to find the guilty parties of this scandal, this ecological crime on a huge scale, and punish them as severely as possible! I have instructed the relevant services to act.
The situation we are dealing with was by no means predictable, but the reaction of the relevant services could certainly have been faster.
Therefore, I made the decision to resign immediately:
❌Przemysław Dacy, the head of Polish Waters
❌Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection Michał Mistrzak
Lessons will be learned for the future and procedures improved. The accountability of officials is important, but what we care most about right now is the protection of people and nature.
We are still not 100% sure as to the causes and source of the poisoning, but there is no doubt that we are dealing with one of the most serious environmental contaminants for a long time.
Its causes are under investigation by all Polish state authorities that have the appropriate competences, equipment and knowledge.
I treat the matter of Odra poisoning as the highest priority and I am in constant contact with the Ministry of Infrastructure , Ministry of Interior and Administration , Ministry of Climate and Environment , voivodes and other authorities and services fighting the effects of the contamination.
At the moment, we operate in accordance with the adopted procedures and recommendations of experts. More information is coming hour by hour and we will keep you posted on developments and protect all those exposed.
https://www.facebook.com/10004443198...Ez4kaSXtALNJ1G HhGX4MZJ6vynNGW9aDPWWl/?d=n
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More dead fish in another Polish river
13.08.2022 15:00
Another mass fish die-off has been reported in the river of Ner, in the central Łódzkie voivodship, following a similar incident in the Oder River, which flows through Poland and Germany.
Local authorities have called an emergency meeting to investigate the reports of dead fish.
...
Issued on: 13/08/2022 - 08:00
Modified: 13/08/2022 - 07:59
Schwedt (Germany) (AFP) – Thousands of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water.
The fish floating by the German banks near the eastern town of Schwedt are believed to have washed upstream from Poland where first reports of mass fish deaths were made by locals and anglers as early as on July 28.
German officials accused Polish authorities of failing to inform them about the deaths, and were taken by surprise when the wave of lifeless fish came floating into view.
In Poland, the government has also come under heavy criticism for failing to take swift action.
Almost two weeks after the first dead fish appeared floating by Polish villages, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday that "everyone had initially thought that it was a local problem".
But he admitted that the "scale of the disaster is very large, sufficiently large to say that the Oder will need years to recover its natural state."
"Probably enormous quantities of chemical waste was dumped into the river in full knowledge of the risk and consequences," added the Polish leader, as German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke urged a comprehensive probe into what she called a brewing "environmental disaster".
...
-------------------------------------------
Mateusz Morawiecki
Yesterday at 9:08 AM ·
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The situation related to the poisoning of one of the largest Polish rivers - the Oder - became the most important topic of public debate within a dozen or so hours.
I fully share your concerns and indignation about this issue and will do everything possible to minimize the effects of the contamination and its impact on the ecosystem as soon as possible.
We want to find the guilty parties of this scandal, this ecological crime on a huge scale, and punish them as severely as possible! I have instructed the relevant services to act.
The situation we are dealing with was by no means predictable, but the reaction of the relevant services could certainly have been faster.
Therefore, I made the decision to resign immediately:
❌Przemysław Dacy, the head of Polish Waters
❌Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection Michał Mistrzak
Lessons will be learned for the future and procedures improved. The accountability of officials is important, but what we care most about right now is the protection of people and nature.
We are still not 100% sure as to the causes and source of the poisoning, but there is no doubt that we are dealing with one of the most serious environmental contaminants for a long time.
Its causes are under investigation by all Polish state authorities that have the appropriate competences, equipment and knowledge.
I treat the matter of Odra poisoning as the highest priority and I am in constant contact with the Ministry of Infrastructure , Ministry of Interior and Administration , Ministry of Climate and Environment , voivodes and other authorities and services fighting the effects of the contamination.
At the moment, we operate in accordance with the adopted procedures and recommendations of experts. More information is coming hour by hour and we will keep you posted on developments and protect all those exposed.
https://www.facebook.com/10004443198...Ez4kaSXtALNJ1G HhGX4MZJ6vynNGW9aDPWWl/?d=n
---------------------
More dead fish in another Polish river
13.08.2022 15:00
Another mass fish die-off has been reported in the river of Ner, in the central Łódzkie voivodship, following a similar incident in the Oder River, which flows through Poland and Germany.
Local authorities have called an emergency meeting to investigate the reports of dead fish.
...
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