The German authorities suspect a toxic algae to be largely responsible for the death of more than 100 tons of fish in the Oder river which crosses Germany and Poland, indicated the ministry of the Environment Monday August 22.
The latest analyzes from "
the Leibniz Institute and the University of Vienna support the suspicion that the mass development of a toxic algae could be responsible for the death of fish
", said a spokesman for the ministry, Andreas Kübler. , during a regular press conference.
The trail of chemical waste still followed
The spokesperson, however, pointed out that the causes explaining the mass death of fish and mussels were “
multiple
”.
The micro-algae in question, called "
golden algae
", is common in estuaries and normally develops in brackish waters with a lower salt content than the sea. If it has been able to proliferate in the fresh waters of the Oder, this indicates an abnormal salinity of the river, which could have industrial causes, pointed out the spokesman.
The German and Polish authorities are trying to establish the cause of this massive pollution of the Oder, the extent of which was revealed in mid-August.
Both sides suspected early on that chemicals played a role.
“
Huge amounts of chemical waste were probably dumped into the river with full knowledge of the risks and consequences
,” said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Polish government under fire from critics
The Polish Minister of the Environment, Anna Moskwa, however, later clarified that "
none of the samples tested so far has shown toxic substances
".
The first reports of mass fish kills in the Oder came from Polish locals and anglers as early as July 28.
Read alsoThousands of dead fish in the Oder raise fears of an environmental disaster in Germany and Poland
German authorities accused Poland of not informing them of the deaths.
The Polish government, for its part, has come under fire for not taking swift action.
In recent years, the Oder was known to be a relatively clean river, with around 40 species of fish living there.