Wastewater in the Bóbr: what substances entered our river? What’s new in the case?

What is happening in the case?

Mirosław Ganecki, Lubusz Voivodeship Inspector of Environmental Protection, for istotne.pl:

On 6 July 2022, the Lubusz Voivodeship Inspector of Environmental Protection issued a decision (...) suspending the operation of the installation—the wastewater treatment plant operated by Heinen Sp. z o.o., ul. Fabryczna 8 in Leszno Górne—in terms of discharging wastewater into the receiving body, the Bóbr River’s energy canal at km 111+200, due to a breach of the conditions specified in point I of the water permit dated 3 February 2016 (...), issued by the Żagań County Head, which creates a threat to people’s health or lives or a threat of environmental destruction.

The head of the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Zielona Góra explains:

Between May 2022 and the present, two intervention inspections were carried out at the company in question. The inspections showed that Heinen Sp. z o.o. was discharging wastewater that did not meet the parameters specified in the company’s water permit. Three tests were conducted on wastewater samples discharged from the treatment plant into the Bóbr River’s energy canal.

What was found?

The Lubusz institution:

The exceedances found concerned the following parameters: total suspended solids, BOD₅, COD-Cr, ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus.

In the last wastewater sample, collected from the treatment plant in question on 5 July 2022, in addition to exceedances of parameters such as total suspended solids, COD-Cr, total nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen, no exceedances were found for total chromium or chromium⁺⁶. Additional measurements of cadmium and lead determined that their concentrations were below the working range of the testing method used in the measurement laboratory.

What consequences could the German company face?

Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection: – To date, the Lubusz Voivodeship Inspector of Environmental Protection has assessed increased fees for using the environment contrary to the provisions of the water permit for 2016 and 2018–2020. The fees were assessed on the basis of the results of automatic monitoring tests commissioned by Heinen Sp. z o.o. of Leszno Górne. In total, the increased fees for the years indicated amount to PLN 120,497.00.

It also adds:

The company Heinen Sp. z o.o. in Leszno Górne has the right to appeal against the decision of the Lubusz Voivodeship Inspector of Environmental Protection dated 6 July 2022 to the Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection in Warsaw through the Lubusz Voivodeship Inspector of Environmental Protection within 14 days of the date of delivery. Filing an appeal does not suspend the enforceability of the decision.

More about the case in the report Bóbr polluted by a German company. TVN24 journalist’s investigation draws prosecutors’ attention!