« Out -dated disaster. » Benzene is in the lower waters, ministers reassured
The train with Benzen crashed last week on Friday, on Wednesday firefighters pumped toxic chemicals from the last two tanks. In Hustopeče, large remediation measures are now being prepared.
Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný said that Bečva is not contaminated after the accident, but in the immediate threat there are three closest water works.
Minister of the Environment Petr Hladík said that local drinking water and air are fine.
Minister of Transport Martin Kupka mentioned that he could not estimate when the train transport will be restored in the place. According to him, the main objective is to prevent further contamination.
Contamination by volatile organic substances was found in two of the 15 sintering pits at the accident site. According to the inspection, the most endangered lake is number six, which is already manifested by increased benzene content. It is still captured at the edge of the tank using sorption snakes installed by firefighters.
The discharge from the tank has been monitored since the beginning of the accident and the benzene values are currently low and below the limits of pollution, said CEI spokesman Miriam Lužecká.
Further contamination of ground and surface waters should prevent the extraction of contaminated soil and drainage of contaminated waters, which should be done without delay. « All stakeholders now have to mobilize and do the most to alleviate the consequences of this disaster, which is absolutely unprecedented, » said ČIZP director Petr Bejček.
Given that the accident had no effect on the air, according to Minister Hladík, there is no dangerous movement outside. But people should not approach the fire, because the surrounding location is not safe and a lot of heavy equipment passes by.
According to Kupka, the Ministry of Transport, together with the Railway Administration, is now taking all possible steps to speed up the repairs of the track and its surroundings that will return to the restoration of train transport. Trains are now replacing buses in the place. On Tuesday, Czech Railways estimated that trains could return to the busy track between the Hranice stations in Moravia and Valašské Meziříčí from April.
Experts now exclaims three more remediation pits near the accident site, their number will increase to 18. Benzene began to drain and take on on Wednesday for liquidation, said a judicial expert and hydrogeologist Milan Gersl, who is in charge of remediation measures.
According to the deputy mayor of Hustopeče nad Bečvou Zdenka Váhaly, firefighters should load and take away the damaged tanks as soon as possible and start with the dug of contaminated soil, today resulted in an evening from a coordination meeting.
Benzene hits Bečva, remediation will take months
« The situation is now that thanks to the excavated large pits in front of the lake, they will be able to remove the contamination a lot, » added the deputy mayor, adding that experts draw the groundwater from the pits that flows into them.
The contamination of groundwater by benzene was described by Hustopeče fishermen as a tragedy. They will install aerates together with firefighters on site that will contribute to the release of benzene.
Idnes.cz editors confirmed that benzene is in the lake number 6 and thus all lakes and the Bečva River will hit. « The crisis crew is convened for the fifth, » their representatives confirmed.
« It is not a matter of days or weeks, rather months than the entire remediation after the accident runs, » said the head of Hustopeče fishermen after Wednesday's coordination meeting Stanislav Pernický.
“It's a tragedy for us. If the soil affected by benzene and extinguishing water, which the benzene came into contact, fails to quickly, we can say goodbye to the fishing on this lake. If the contaminated soil does not quickly compete, it is wrong, ”Pernický said.
The Hustopeče Fishermen's Association has nine breeding lakes in the area, except for all the others are down the slope around the Bečva River.
