20 Jun 2002,
Andrea Eberl
EMV, Sajobabony, Hungary
 
Today the first Greenpeace action in Hungary took place. We targeted the pecticide producer ENV in Sajobabony, a village close to Miskolc in North-East Hungary.

Activists from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Romania and France gathered there to protest against the production of pesticides which are banned in Western European countries. And we also protested against the pollution of the river Sajo by toxic chemicals from this factory.

We returned the waste water from the production to the company with a clear message – This poison does not belong to the river! Although the heat was incredible – as almost around whole Europe in these days - some activists had to wear full protection suits.

For them it was an especially hard task. The water demand from the activists was on its all time high.The company was totally surprised. The director came out and tried to tell the media that they do not produce such pesticides and that the substances are not banned in any country. But the research we did several weeks ago with the Exceter University in England tells clearly the opposite – the river is poisoned by chemicals which are by-products of the pesticide production.

But also in a meeting with Hungarian NGO people the director addmited that they produce the banned pesticides. In the end the only thing he could do was to take over our petition.
 

 
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