Hungary environmentalists investigate illegal waste disposal sites

Environmental experts and activists in Hungary are raising alarms over systemic illegal waste disposal activities that are causing significant ecological damage. In the Vértes region, specifically near Pusztavám and Oroszlány, a former brown coal mine that had naturally regenerated into a valuable wetland is being filled with approximately 45,000 tons of potentially hazardous waste disguised as reclamation material.

László Lóránt Keresztes, vice president of the Vízválasztó Mozgalom, has documented 15 suspicious or illegal waste sites, suggesting the actual number may be much higher. He alleges the existence of a mafia-like organization responsible for bringing illegal waste of Italian origin into the country.

Similar issues are reported near the border of Páty and Biatorbágy. An expanding mound of construction debris, mysterious white powder, and recycled rubber is accumulating at a former municipal landfill. Local authorities and landowners have failed to identify the operator of the site, and no valid waste management permits have been found. While the police are investigating the environmental damage, the lack of transparency regarding the site's operation continues to draw criticism from local activists.