Saxony-Anhalt toxic waste landfill operator files for insolvency

The operator of the underground toxic waste landfill in Teutschenthal, Saxony-Anhalt – Grube Teutschenthal Sicherungs GmbH (GTS) – has filed for insolvency. About 100 employees will continue to receive wages for the next three months through insolvency benefits.

The site, a former salt and potash mine, stores hazardous waste such as filter dust, mercury, arsenic and chemical liquids. State officials warn that, if no investor steps in, the land could face decommissioning and stabilization costs of roughly €130 million, as previously estimated by the Saxony‑Anhalt Ministry of Economics. The state has indicated it would not take full ownership but would intervene with emergency safety measures through the geological and mining authority.

The landfill has a history of structural problems, with major collapses recorded in 1916, 1940 and 1996, raising concerns about long‑term environmental safety.