Austrian mine waste may have exposed 250+ Hungarian towns to asbestos

Data obtained through a public‑information request show that rock‑fill shipments from four Austrian mines (Badersdorf, Bernstein, Pilgersdorf and Rumpersdorf) were sent to more than 250 locations across Hungary between 2015 and 2026. A municipal representative in Bük published a list and two interactive maps based on EKÁER transport records, highlighting the first‑destination settlements while noting that the material could have been further redistributed.

The official response includes a request for authorities to disclose the exact disposal sites, and Hungary and Austria have agreed to form a joint working group to investigate the western‑Hungarian contamination. Greenpeace has urged the Austrian government to halt sales of the asbestos‑containing rock to Hungary, and shipments to the country have already been suspended.