As of: February 27, 2024, 1:04 p.m
By: Patrick Freiwah
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Tesla supercharger at the Grünheide production site: The electric car manufacturer is facing new allegations.
© IMAGO/D.
Kerkekin/Snowfield Photography
There is a new buzz surrounding Tesla in Grünheide: Far too high amounts of pollutants have been found in the wastewater, the local buyer warns - and is planning drastic consequences.
Grünheide/Munich - Tesla is currently struggling with a lot of headwinds in Grünheide: On the one hand, the population voted against Elon Musk's planned expansion of the production facility, and now the long-standing accusation of careless use of water is also intensifying :
Since it went into operation in March 2022, significantly more pollutants have entered the wastewater from the plant than is legally permitted.
The substances identified were phosphorus and total nitrogen, with the permitted value being exceeded by up to six times.
Tesla in Grünheide: Regional water association sounds the alarm
The allegations come from the Straußberg-Erkner water association (WSE), the regional wastewater buyer.
According to media reports, the drinking water supplier has invited people to an extraordinary meeting where a far-reaching decision could be made: The letter to the responsible mayors includes a request to stop Tesla's wastewater extraction.
That would inevitably mean a temporary stop to production in Grünheide.
It is the next chapter in a wave of criticism against Tesla, which is also based on concerns about the impact of the production facility in Brandenburg on nature and the environment.
For example, new green areas would have to be cleared for the planned factory expansion.
But in a vote the majority of the population voted against:
Grünheide: Is Tesla polluting Berlin’s water?
“Warnings without results”
The
Tagesspiegel
describes the content of the resolution submitted by the water association: The limits of the contract between Tesla and the WSE are being violated “constantly and in a significant way”.
“Several requests and warnings remained inconclusive, and a remedy was neither addressed nor promised for the future,” was the water supplier’s criticism.
Tesla has been informed in writing five times since March 2023 that the limit values have been exceeded, but nothing has happened.
As
Stern
explains, Tesla and the WSE contractually agreed on the limits in 2020.
A specialist laboratory commissioned has apparently been regularly carrying out and evaluating wastewater samples since the Tesla factory went into operation.
Those involved and experts apparently disagree about the extent of the consequences: Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB), which, according to the
Tagesspiegel
, treats Tesla's wastewater at the Münchehofe sewage treatment plant for the WSE, is familiar with the problem, but has given the all-clear.
According to spokesman Stephan Natz, there is “no danger” - and no impact on Berlin's drinking water supply.
Sascha Gehm, a responsible local politician in the Oder-Spree district, even describes the action against Tesla in the report as “completely disproportionate”.
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Tesla under fire over wastewater problem - authority considers criticism to be exaggerated
The background to the problem is apparently also of a technical nature: the wastewater with the elevated values is apparently not industrial wastewater that comes from the production of electric cars.
Tesla has its own “extensive wastewater treatment plants in Grünheide for the complete recovery of process wastewater”. According to the manufacturer, the complained wastewater is mainly wastewater from the operation of the sanitary facilities and kitchens.
The Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant is drawing criticism.
This time it's about violations regarding wastewater quality.
© Jens Kalaene/dpa
According to Tagesspiegel,
it is precisely this cleaner wastewater without chemical residues that conflicts
with the agreed measurement values.
Tesla believes the wastewater is comparable to “typical municipal wastewater” in terms of quality.
The increased nitrogen content is only due to internal water optimization at Tesla.
If Berliner Wasserbetriebe had its way, the US manufacturer and WSE would have to agree on a contractual adjustment of the values - from their point of view, this would be compatible with environmental regulations.
Tesla, nitrogen and phosphorus: Scientists warn of consequences
Meanwhile, Stern
reports that Tesla responded to the advice of the Straußberg-Erkner water association and suggested doubling the permitted nitrogen value, which the WSE rejected
.
Martin Pusch from the Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), a scientist, has his say in the report.
And his assessment strengthens the Tesla critics.
According to him, the increased pollutants could have consequences for the quality of drinking water in the capital, but also for nature:
According to Pusch, the Tesla wastewater is discharged from the Münchehofe sewage treatment plant (on the eastern border of Berlin) into the Spree, from where it flows into the Müggelsee in summer.
From there, one of the largest waterworks in the metropolis obtains H2O from the bank filtrate.
“Massive algae growth would be likely, and fish deaths cannot be ruled out,” explains the scientist.
Last year, Tesla in Grünheide also came under scrutiny for poor working conditions.
(PF)