Toxic sludge in Lukavac remediated, crack in embankment being closed

LUKAVAC, (Patria) - Three days after the embankment at the Sisecam Soda factory in Lukavac ruptured and a large amount of liquid from the White Sea sludge spilled into the Spreča River, the situation is gradually stabilizing, Abdel Đozić, an expert from the Faculty of Technology in Tuzla, confirmed to BHRT.

Đozić emphasized that the sludge was remediated during the past night.

Teams are still on site today, the crack in the embankment is gradually being closed, and it is expected to be fully repaired during the day. The most important thing, he added, is that the leakage of material has been stopped.

Experts from all fields have been involved in resolving this ecological incident since the first day.

We remind you that agricultural land several kilometers long along the Spreča River has been permanently contaminated. There are fears of a large fish kill.

Water analysis and the cause of the embankment rupture will be determined in the coming days by experts from the Mining Institute in Tuzla, and until then, citizens are advised not to use river water for irrigating agricultural land downstream from Lukavac, as well as wells located nearby.

The Civil Protection in Doboj also warned owners of wells along the Spreča and Bosna rivers not to use the water until sampling is carried out.

The Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton is also working on the case.