An inspection of the Slatina River near the town of Hrinova (Banska Bystrica region) has revealed the illegal pumping of waste water, Environment Minister Jan Budaj (OLaNO) told a joint news conference with head of the Slovak Environment Inspectorate (SIZP) Jan Jenco on Tuesday. According to Budaj, the contamination originated at a dairy. However, he acknowledged that the dairy may not have been the only entity engaged in the contamination.
Meanwhile, the Hrinova Dairy rejects speculation about any long-term intentional pollution of the Slatina River, stated the management of the dairy in Banska Bystrica region in response to the Environment Ministry. The company said that an accident had occurred on the sewer pipe last week. Thus, since the water that leaked into the Slatina contained mainly food products, it wasn't toxic waste.
According to Budaj, the inspections will continue and the circumstances of the contamination will be further examined.
