Citizens fight against toxic pit: lawsuit should save calf!

Citizens fight against toxic pit: lawsuit should save calf!

Brüchau in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel is under pressure from a heated debate about the renovation of the local poison pit. Citizens' initiatives, residents and local politicians are tirelessly demanding that the toxic pit be completely dug up. This is in response to the State Mining Authority's decision not to excavate the pit, but merely to cover it. Like that MDR reported, numerous organizations have come together to oppose this plan.

Supported by the city of Kalbe (Milde) and the nature conservation association BUND, the citizens' initiative sharply criticized the state mining authority's decision. However, Kalbe's mayor Andreas Pietsch, who emphasizes the city's right to sue, is skeptical about the chances of success. The city council is nevertheless leaving a sign of solidarity by supporting BUND's legal action as a representative action.

Political resistance and public mobilization

The citizenry is also active. On August 19, 2025, a demonstration took place in Brüchau. This led from the town center to the poison pit, and many residents and citizens' initiatives sent a clear signal against the approved renovation plan from Neptune Energy, which wants to fill the pit with cement. The daily news emphasizes that local politicians and members of the state parliament also support the protest and that the demand for complete excavation is being loudly expressed.

District Administrator Steve Kanitz (SPD) regrets the state mining authority's decision and points to the region's years-long efforts to completely empty the pit. Critics, such as Dorothea Frederking from Alliance 90/The Greens, criticize the new plan as inadequate and warn of the serious consequences if the mine is not comprehensively renovated. Meanwhile, the approval of Neptune Energy's recovery plan is based on the fact that there were no legal or technical objections to the project.

Planned redevelopment and environmental concerns

Since 1972, around 188,000 cubic meters of contaminated sludge have been stored in the poison pit, including around 27,000 tonnes of highly toxic mercury. This poses a serious environmental threat, which further fuels unrest among the population. According to that BUND Saxony-Anhalt There are considerable doubts about the feasibility of the planned renovation. The process and approach have been called into question by various documents which show that the approval process is problematic and that significant health risks are not taken into account. The citizens' initiative vehemently calls for the inclusion of the relevant reports for risk assessment in order to protect the health of the population.

The situation in Brüchau remains tense. The lawsuit by the city of Kalbe and the ongoing protests by citizens' initiatives make it clear that the question of the toxic pit is not only an environmental matter, but also a social and political effort that requires widespread support.