A truck removing hexachlorbezene for liquidation crashed on 30th April on D8 motorway near the town Mělník, Central Bohemia. The chemical leaked from the barrels during the accident. Hexachlorbenzene is one of the 12 most toxic chemicals in the world and their production and usage should be banned according to the international Convention signed in Stockholm last May. It also aims to reduce leakage of the toxics to environment. Czech Senate is going to discuss ratification of the convention this Friday. "We suggest that transfers of hexachlorbenzene must be announced in advance as in case of radioactive waste transport," head of ARNIKA´s Toxic Free Future campaign Jindrich Petrlík commented on the accident.
"We address the Czech Environmental Inspection and Ministry of Environment to let examine the place of accident. Those guilty for the accident and of the contamination should have a duty to decontaminate the contaminated soil and the motorway surface. Leakage of hexachlorbenzene on the motorway crossing agricultural area can increase contamination of food chain. Transfer of hexachlorbenzene in the air is dangerous as well," Petrlík added.
Together with polychlorinated biphenyls, the hexachlorbenzene belongs to a group of so called dioxin effect substances which are dangerous even in trace (very low) concentrations. Pollution of environment and of the food chain by these chemicals is one of factors which harm human immune and hormonal systems. Close contact with high quantity of dioxins can cause illness called chloracne (serious skin affection).
The transported hexachlorbenzene was produced in chemical plant Spolchemie in Ústí nad Labem as a by-product during production of tetrachlorinemethan by high-pressure and high-temperature chlorination. Two days ago the chemical was transported as a highly hazardous waste to waste incinerator Aliachem - MCHZ Ostrava, the only incinerator having a license for liquidation of highly halogenated substances such as hexachlorbenzene and PCBs. The incinerator is placed in less than 1 km distance from housing area. "We do not thing the incineration is environmentally safe. The Czech Republic needs a plant able to liquidate the toxic substances by a chemical way, without appearance of other persistent organic pollutants. Construction of such plant is planned in Slovakia with a help of UNIDO. But the best thing would be if Spolchemie changed its technology so that hexachlorbenzene would not emerge at all," Petrlík said. Production of hexachlorbenzene used as a pesticide was banned in the Czech Republic in 1977. The chemical was produced also in Spolana Neratovice in the area which is today closed as a dioxin contaminated zone. One of buildings was covered with concrete while the other two contaminated buildings are to be destroyed.
Beside the hexachlorbenzene, the Stockholm convention also banns production and usage of other 9 hazardous pesticides and industrial chemicals and its final aim is elimination of emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, PCBs and hexachlorbenzene to the environment. Hexachlorbenzene can be also found in smoke during waste incineration and during production of iron.
The Stockholm Convention was discussed in Upper Chamber of Czech Parliament environmental and foreign committees both of which recommended its ratification. At the same time they also discussed the Protocol on persistent organic substances belonging to the Convention on distanced transboundary air pollution signed in Aarhus. The protocol relates to more substances than the Stockholm Convention, including for instance lindane (gama-hexachlorcyclohexane), a substance with comparable risk like hexachlorbenzene for the environment.
