europe is in the middle of a major environmental disaster - the worst since the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. On January 30, about 100,000 cubic metres of slurry, consisting major concentrations of cyanide and other heavy metals, from a containment dam spilled into the Szamos river in Romania. According to a United Nations ( un ) official inspecting the spill, the pollution 'plug' was 6 -8 km long and was moving at 4 km per hour.

Cyanide is a lethal chemical and is toxic for all forms of life. Zoltan Illes, chairperson of Hungary's parliamentary committee on the environment, was quoted saying that the spill would poison the whole foodchain for years to come. Besides, it would take several years to get the poison out of the river's system.

Travelling towards the Black Sea along the river Tisza in Hungary and the river Danube in Serbia, it is believed to have wiped out almost all aquatic vegetation and lifeforms that form part of the river ecosystems in the affected stretches. The Danube in Bulgaria is also expected to be affected. There are fears that the spill might also have a serious impact on the farming and drinking water in the Balkan region. The affected rivers are used by at least four Balkan countries for irrigation, water supply and fishing.

A microscopic examination of water samples taken from the Szamos proved that 90-95 per cent of phytoplankton and zooplanktons died. Besides, the effect of the pollution is expected to spread to ecosystems far from the river through the foodchain and other transmitters.

The pollution has also affected several protected and strictly protected areas, like Lake Tisza, which is an important part of Hortob