The Ministry of Rural Development's Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Zoltán Illés is calling on the Government to establish a HUF 350 million fund to finance the total elimination of the Hortobágy dangerous waste storage facility.

Mr. Illés made the announcement on Wednesday in Balmazújváros-Lászlóháza, after viewing the facility used to store two thousand tons of dangerous waste, and at which the situation has become difficult in recent weeks after metal thieves gained entrance to the facility.

The Minister of State also announced that during the next term he would initiate the establishment of a 3-4 billion forint (EUR 10-13 million) waste pollution eradication fund for the localisation of the country's 150-300 known polluted areas and the beginning of remediation work.

Mr. Illés expressed his acknowledgement for the efforts of the Trans-Tisza Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Inspectorate for the work it has performed over the past few days at the dangerous waste storage facility located on the outskirts of Balmazújváros-Lászlóháza.

In accordance with his expert advice, the Inspectorate has repaired the facility's damaged fence, organised 24-hour security for the site and has put the displaced waste into barrels; everything is once again in order at the site, he explained.

Director of the Trans-Tisza Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Inspectorate Béla Kelemen confirmed that, based on the testing of samples taken from monitoring wells surrounding the site and other locations, the level of pollution does not require emergency damage remediation.

In reply to a question from Hungarian news agency MTI, both Zoltán Illés and Béla Kelemen expressly stated that there is no danger to the soil, water stocks, air or the neighbouring Hortobágy National Park. Mr. Illés thanked Fidesz Mayor of Balmazújváros István Tiba for his help in providing 24-hour security for the site. Mr. Tiba said that his local authority had provided three security guards, shelter and a mobile toilet in the interests of securing the site.

The Mayor of Balmazújváros welcomed the Minister of State's announcement according to which a proposal for the total elimination of the facility would be prepared in time for a cabinet meeting on 22 February. "It will be a comfort to all if the site disappears from the Hortobágy plain", Mr. Tiba added.

An MTI reporter present at the site on Wednesday said that not only had the site's fence been repaired, but the main storage unit had also been covered in a coat of strong plastic sheeting to prevent the wind from blowing away the powdered waste.

(MTI)