ruth901
The dispute over the feared endangerment of drinking water in Neuhof by salt water is not letting up: after the Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation of Hesse (BUND), Kali+Salz is now also speaking out – and is sharply criticizing it.
Neuhof – The BUND sees a “progressive salinization of the groundwater in the area of the “potash dump” in Neuhof immediate need for action. This emerges from a press release. There is a need to clarify “why neither K+S nor the supervisory authorities had noticed the dramatic development.” It is also of central importance to clarify how “such a pronounced and progressive groundwater salinization” could come about.
Jörg Nitsch, Chairman of BUND Hesse: “The view of the BI expert Dr. Ralf Krupp on the causal processes in Kalihalden is plausible to us. We cannot identify any other explanations.”
K+S sharply criticizes BUND and the Kaliberg citizens' initiative
The company has now responded to this with a press release. The association's representation is “wrong in essential points. The statements contradict the available measurement data and proven findings on the heap. These show that the influence of salt in the area around the heap is stable. There can be no question of a dramatic development.”
The geological and hydrogeological conditions in the area around the dump have been examined and closely monitored for many years. “The measurements clearly show that the area around the heap, which is influenced by salt water, behaves stable overall. In addition, several measuring points show significant declines in mineralization,” writes K+S.
The expert's statements are not scientifically tenable and do not take essential facts into account. This applies in particular to key statements about the behavior of water within the heap and its alleged connection to groundwater. “The chemical properties of the water and its flow behavior are known, are evaluated professionally and do not allow such simplistic and polemical statements as those made by Dr. Krupp, who has been a critic of potash mining for over 20 years without being able to convince specialist authorities, experts and experts of the correctness of his theses,” says the company. K+S once again emphasizes that there is no danger to the drinking water supply, as the Kassel regional council has already expressly confirmed.
“K+S expressly criticizes the fact that the BUND and the citizens' initiative are painting a public horror scenario and relying on obvious misinterpretations by Dr. Krupp. Such unfounded representations only stir up unnecessary fears among the population and create uncertainty. A responsible environmental debate must be based on reliable data, scientifically based assessments and verifiable facts.”
