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Marcal River, Hungary 2011
A retaining wall of the tailings pond dam at the Ajka alumina plant burst releasing an estimated 700,000 m3 of liquid waste into the Marcal River.
In October, a retaining wall of the tailings pond dam at the Ajka alumina plant burst releasing an estimated 700,000 m3 of liquid waste. The disaster affected 15 square miles, killed 10 people, and injured 150. All life in local reaches of the Marcal River was extinguished and the Hungarian government has since spent US$166 million on cleanup and reconstruction. The Marcal’s link to the Danube river system meant that six other countries had to develop emergency response plans. In September 2011, the company was fined more than US$636 million.
