The cause of the fish’s death is unclear, but authorities suspect it is due to chemical contamination of the river.
Almost 100 tons of dead fish have so far been collected by Polish firefighters from the banks of the Oder River, which flows through Germany and Poland.
“Never before have we organized an operation of this scale on a river,” said Monika Novakowska-Drida, the spokeswoman for the fire service’s Press Office. The spokeswoman confirmed that from Friday until today the dead fish reach 100 tons.
The cause of the fish’s death is unclear, but authorities suspect it is due to chemical contamination of the river. “Huge amounts of chemical waste were probably dumped into the river, with full knowledge of the danger and consequences,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said last week.
Environment Minister Anna Moskva clarified today that no toxic substances have been found in any of the samples taken so far. The government, he added, is also looking at various other possible causes, such as excessive concentration of pollutants and salt due to low river water levels or high temperature. Another possibility is the discharge, by industries, of water that contained a high amount of chlorine.
Water samples are tested in Poland and Germany. Warsaw has also sent samples to laboratories in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Britain.
In recent years the Oder was considered a relatively clean river, home to about 40 species of fish. More than 500 firefighters are involved in the operation to clean up the river, Novakowska-Drida said.
RES-EMP
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