At the end of 2014, reporters from the reputable Czech weekly newspaper Tyden made up the “top 10” of the most risky settlements in the Czech Republic from the point of view of environmental safety. The reason for this was the explosions in military depots of ammunition that took place near the village of Vrbice, Zlin region. Although no one was directly injured, the residents of this and neighboring villages were forced to evacuate several times, of course, the number of people wishing to move to this village fell sharply.
The village of Vrbetice (Zlín region) was not included in the list, instead of it, under No. 10, the largest ammunition depot (Hradec Králové region) appears. However, knowledge of other ecologically hot spots will not hurt. Those who have already been born or work there, somehow can live with this health risk, but why choose a property in this place voluntarily? It is better to know the names of these settlements and try to stay away from them.
1. Neratovice near Prague. The Spolana Chemical Plant located here poisoned everything around with mercury. Mercury is located in the Labe River, in the fish living in it, in the bark of trees ... Another problem of the plant is dioxins. In 2013, the Neratovice plant released 36 tons of potentially carcinogenic substances into the air. In the integrated register of environmental pollutants "Spolana" takes first place!
During the great flood of 2002, the plant was flooded, a huge amount of toxic substances fell into the water and soil. Analysis of the spring of 2003 (ie, about a year after the flood) showed that the dioxin content in one of the Labe branches near the “Spolana” exceeded their natural existence in nature by 30-500 (!) Times. Residents of Neratovice were then banned from consuming food products of their own production.
2. Usti nad Labem. In principle, the entire course of the Labe from Prague almost to the border with Germany is a continuous chemistry. But here, next to Neratovice, for example, the city of Usti nad Labem stands out, where the Spolkhimie plant, which produces chlorine, is located almost in the center of the city. In this production, the so-called "Amalgam electrolysis" based on the use of mercury. In 2013, the plant released 677 kg into the air. mercury and its compounds. So mercury and chlorine are a great combination! In an attempt in the recent past to remove mercury-poisonous soil from the territory of the plant, it turned out that it would have to dig 20 m in depth.
Hexachlorobenzene is one of the by-products of production in Usti. About 500 kg of it will leave the factory on Wednesday. This substance has the property of cumulating in the tissues and is almost not excreted naturally.
In addition to the chemical industry, the near brown coal-fired power plants such as Pocheradov, Pruněržov, Tušimice have a significant influence on Usti nad Labem and the entire surrounding region.
The “cherry on the cake” of the Ostrava environmental disaster is the oil lagoons - the legacy of the Ostramo refinery. There is no factory, but there are still 300 thousand tons of oil mud in the region, the rehabilitation of which will last until 2018. All this - a kilometer from the residential neighborhood.
4. Stráž pod Ralskem. Here, under socialism, uranium was mined. With the use of sulfuric acid. About 4 million liters of acid were pumped underground in an area of about 24 square meters. km .. It is estimated that about 370 million cubic meters of groundwater in this area is poisoned by acid. Remediation will last until 2050. Moreover, if no one has any illusions about Ostrava, then in this case the surrounding places are quite attractive for tourists: nearby Makhovo Lake, Czech Paradise National Park, Kokorzynsko Nature Reserve, etc.
5. Lovosice. We are again returning to the north of the Czech Republic, to the picturesque bank of the Labe River, near which the city of Lovosice stands, and in it - the largest production of mineral fertilizers in the Czech Republic. The main problem here is the leak of ammonia. From the point of view of environmental pollution, this plant officially (2013 data) is the second in the Czech Republic (after the Neratovitsa Spolany). However, the main risk is not so much smoke and stench as the danger of an accident. When an explosion occurred at a similar plant in Texas in 2012, 14 people died and and hundreds were injured.
6. Jihlava. The largest city in the Vysocina region, halfway between Prague and Brno, is also famous for the fact that it houses one of the largest manufacturers of particleboard in Europe. In 2012, the plant released 22 tons of formaldehyde into the atmosphere, it is difficult to imagine something more toxic. Inhalation of formaldehyde leads not only to cancer tumors, but also to diseases such as eczema, chronic inflammation of the middle ear, etc. There is no need to talk about the stench and irritation of the eye mucosa. True, at the end of 2013, the plant installed some new filters and promises a significant improvement in the situation.
7. Temelin. A nuclear power plant was built relatively recently in picturesque places in Southern Bohemia (the first unit was launched in 2002), and due to massive protests by the Austrian public fearing Chernobyl and Fukushima near its borders, it was built (supposedly) with maximum safety standards. So, the reactor accident, most likely, does not directly threaten. However, as it recently turned out, a carefully guarded object could be threatened by an ordinary drone. And no one will argue that this is a strategic objective and a possible target of the attack. In addition, at Temelin quite often some minor accidents and private shutdowns of individual units occur. In short, a nuclear power plant is a risk. It is strange only that the other Czech nuclear power plant, Dukovany, was not on the list, it is an older one.
8. Pardubice. The whole world knows what semtex is. They make the famous explosives at the Explosia factory, which is ... - right, in the city of Pardubice. A city with a hundred thousandth population - besides this - is known for its gingerbread cookies and horse racing. However, back to the semtex explosives. As you know, explosives are created in order to explode, and from time to time (not very often, but still) this happens right on the territory of the plant. The last time in April 2011, 4 workers were killed, part of the plant was destroyed. At the same time, the windows were broken not only in Pardubice, but also in the town of Lazne Bogdaneč (4 km from Pardubice). The previous explosion occurred 30 years before the events described, then there were 5 victims, and buildings in the city of Chrudim, 20 km away, were damaged. Particular piquancy to the risk of an accident at the plant for the production of semtex is given by the fact that in the immediate vicinity of it is the chemical plant "Synthesis". Both plants, of course, have their own landfills, where, according to rough estimates, more than a million tons of toxic materials are stored.
9. Hnevice. Everything that was said above is more or less well known. It is less known that near Prague near the village of Hnevice in Central Bohemia there is the largest storage of fuels and lubricants in the country with a capacity of 300 thousand cubic meters of gasoline and diesel fuel. This is one hundred reservoirs on an area of 268 hectares, mainly underground. True, the explosions here took place only twice - in 1945 and in 1952, but also stroll through the forest with the thought that under your feet there are huge fuel supplies, not the most pleasant form of relaxation. It's funny that the popular name of the village - Petrol - has already hit the official maps.
10. Tyniste nad Orlici. Here is the largest ammunition depot in the country, according to some sources, two-thirds of the army’s reserves are stored on it. After the recent explosions in a similar (significantly smaller and not under the jurisdiction of the army, but private firms selling military materials) warehouse in the village. In Vrbice, public interest in such objects and the fear of neighbors are understandable. It should be noted, however, that over the 50 years of the existence of this complex, no troubles have occurred here. However, it does not follow from this that nothing will happen in the future.
