On the German side, according to the estimate of the environment minister of the federal state of Brandenburg, 36 tons have been removed from the water and destroyed so far. The exact cause of the environmental disaster has not yet been determined. Both the Polish and German authorities assume that several factors played a role. One of them, according to scientists, is the rapid spread of a poisonous algae species. Further investigation is required to determine how this could have happened.
In a laboratory in Brandenburg, a high concentration of pesticide was found in water samples taken between 7 and 9 August in Frankfurt an der Oder, about 100 kilometers east of Berlin. It concerns the weed killer 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.
While the poison obviously doesn’t belong in surface waters and threatens life there, experts don’t think it’s the sole, direct reason for the massive fish kill. However, it is possible that upstream the pollution of the Oder by pesticides was much more serious than measured in Frankfurt.
No specials in Mecklenburg
Reports came from the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern that no abnormalities have been found in the lagoon of Stettin (Szczecin), into which the Oder flows. Also encouraging was the Polish announcement that live specimens were seen again on Saturday in places where thousands of dead fish had recently been found. Due to a lack of oxygen, they swam to the surface. An attempt is made to get more oxygen into the water with pumps.
Mecklenburg is developing plans to draw more attention to environmental problems in and along the Oder through citizens’ initiatives. On Saturday evening, in the village of Kienitz, the river was illuminated with red floodlights as a warning. In addition, a call was made on 4 September to form a human chain on the banks.