The Rotten River Nasty Slick Seen on Troubled Tisza By Sue Masterman

V I E N N A, Austria, March 15  River-watchers in Hungary have reported a 25-mile black slick moving down the upper reaches of the Tisza River  the third wave of poison to hit that body of water in six weeks. River-watchers in Hungary have reported a 25-mile black slick moving down the upper reaches of the Tisza River. (ABCNEWS.com/ Magellan Geographix)

While the nature of the slick and its origin are unknown, suspicions are that yet another antiquated mine has sprung a leak. Hungary has asked an EU task force to help identify potential environmental trouble spots, especially in Romania, where cash-strapped mines have failed to carry out maintenance work on dams, which contain sludge produced from those operations. Romanian officials today denied that a spill of heavy metal residues from one of its mines was on its way to the Tisza River.

Recent Troubles Six weeks ago, a cyanide spill from a gold mine owner in part by Australian interests wiped out all life in the river and affected water supplies far down the Danube and into the Black Sea. Early last week, Hungary lifted a water-quality alert on the river in place since the Jan. 30 cyanide incident. But on Friday, 20,000 tons of heavy metal residue came down the river after a state-owned lead and zinc mine in Romania burst its dam. Snow is melting fast in the high mountains, where most of the mines are located. Heavy rains have added to the problems. The Ukraine, where other tributaries of the Tisza originate, is also suspected of introducing pollutants to the river. The European Union has sent an environmental squad to the region and has been talking to governments there. Ukraine and Romania both say they are more than willing to tackle the problembut only if the European Union provides the funds.

On Monday, Germany offered to help Romania improve factories and mines that pose environmental risks. Hungary has been so concerned by the situation that it summoned Romanias ambassador to the Foreign Ministry

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/river000315.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), March 16, 2000