The mayor of Debrecen, Laszlo Papp, has called for a Chinese-owned company, Semcorp Hungary Kft., to cease its operations in the city due to severe groundwater contamination. Tests revealed aluminum levels in the groundwater at their battery separator film plant exceeded legal limits by over 13,000 times, reaching 2,676,000 micrograms per liter compared to a 200 micrograms per liter threshold. Investigations also detected other heavy metals like arsenic, zinc, lead, and cobalt. The Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office has ordered an immediate suspension of operations and remediation measures, with multiple regulatory proceedings underway.
The contamination was traced to a section of the plant using aqueous aluminum oxide solutions. Although Semcorp carried out mandatory sampling, they submitted results after the deadline and were fined $2,800 (one million forints), a penalty they are challenging in court. The company had initially maintained a leaking substance was not an environmental risk, a claim now disproven. Mayor Papp has filed a criminal complaint against the company, citing unacceptable levels of contamination.
This incident highlights mounting environmental concerns related to battery plants in Hungary, which have become a significant political issue ahead of national elections. The Hungarian government had heavily subsidized the Semcorp project, providing $36.4 million (13 billion forints) in support, emphasizing its potential to strengthen Hungary's position in the battery industry and create 440 jobs. This contamination event further complicates the government's strategy for economic growth through the battery sector. Other controversies include a police probe into Samsung SDI's factory for toxic substance handling [bloomberg.com] and environmental rule violation claims against BYD Co. [bloomberg.com]. A court also prohibited operations at a SungEel battery processing plant due to public health concerns [english.atlatszo.hu].
The broader context reveals a growing public backlash against the environmental impact of foreign-owned battery manufacturing and processing plants in Hungary. Opposition leader Peter Magyar has vowed to increase oversight and reduce subsidies for these facilities if his party unseats the current government. This situation is eroding support for Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the perception grows that his administration prioritizes foreign capital over local environmental and health interests [globalbankingandfinance.com].
