Bulgaria on alert caused by Hungarian red sludge

Bulgarian opinions are divided regarding the possible impact of the Hungarian toxic red sludge disaster on Bulgaria, with one Bulgarian senior environmental official saying that there was "no risk of pollution".

Assen Lichev, head of the Environment and Water Ministry’s water management directorate, said that there was no risk of pollution of the Bulgarian section of the Danube River, Bulgarian news agency BTA said.

Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) said that any contamination from the incident in Hungary, reported to have led to four deaths and more than 120 injuries, would reach Bulgaria’s part of the Danube by October 12 2010 at the earliest.

It was expected that the contamination would be highly diluted by the time in reached Bulgaria, because it would pass through the Romanian Iron Gate hydro power facility, BNR said, quoting the Enviroment Ministry.

Mayors of towns along the Danube and civil defence authorities in Bulgaria are on alert, the ministry said.