Hungary creates 3 billion‑forint asbestos cleanup fund

The Hungarian government has established a 3 billion‑forint (about 8 million USD) fund to support municipalities in western Hungary that are contaminated with asbestos‑laden quarry debris from Austria. The contamination, discovered in January 2026 near the border town of Bozsok, affects up to 250 settlements where crushed stone containing asbestos was used for road surfacing and public spaces.

A joint Austrian‑Hungarian commission of health, environmental and legal experts has been formed, and Prime Minister Peter Magyar and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker have agreed that the polluter‑pays principle will apply, with Austria expected to reimburse remediation costs. More than 650 inspections have been launched, six of which exceeded health limits. On 15 July, authorities approved the removal of contaminated material from a 12‑kilometre stretch of road in the Oladi Plató district of Szombathely, with the new fund covering such clean‑up operations across the region.