ECOTERRA - Journal of Environmental Research and Protection www.ecoterra-online.ro 2014, Volume 11, Issue 4 32 Study on the environmental pollution risks induced by the former Chemical Plant in Târnăveni, Mureş county Theodor Lupei, Monica Matei, Lucian Laslo, Ana M. Nicolescu National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, Bucharest, Romania. Corresponding author: T. Lupei, [email protected]Abstract. Târnăveni is a town considered the third most polluted place in Romania, mainly due to the ruins of the former Chemical Plant, which was closed in 2007. In the former Chemical Plant located right next to this town were made products for different industries such as tannery substances, insecticides, treatments for trees or paint bases in the engineering industry. Residues resulting from the production of chemical substances were stored in three pits located between the former buildings of the plant and the Târnava Mică River, a few tens of meters away. The former Chemical Plant in Târnăveni occupy nearly 100 hectares of land in the southwestern part of the town of which 30 hectares are chemical waste dumps, whose estimated amount would reach 2.5 million tons. The most detrimental component that is in this chemical waste dumps is represented by hexavalent chromium, prolonged exposure through inhalation of this material causes inflammation of the lungs, nose, skin and has carcinogenic effect. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the risk situations that can be generated by this chemical waste dumps, keeping in mind that is in close proximity to the town of Târnăveni and the water flow of the Târnava Mică River. The threat of pollution in this area is considerable, especially considering that if the overlap with some extreme natural events (heavy rainfall, earthquakes, etc.) situation can get out of control and affect the environment and human population. Key Words: pollution, chemical waste dumps, Târnăveni – Mureş County, Târnava Mică River. Introduction. The chemical industry in Romania marks a strong restructuring after 1989. Today, many chemical plants have been closed for some time and now are potential sources of environmental pollution. Waste resulting from this chemical plants activities were stored in dumps/pits, that are now abandoned and need to be rehabilitated. In the communist era, the chemical plant in Târnăveni use to produce inorganic product such as sodium dichromate, potassium dichromate, barium salts, chromium salts, zinc oxide, etc.. Waste resulting from activities at this plant were deposited in pits behind the plant, located in the vicinity of the Târnava Mică River. The chemical plant in Târnăveni was closed in 2002, but in the factory dumps still remain stored approximately 2.5 million tonnes of chemical waste, although storage activity is stopped, this dumps have not been closed in accordance with environmental protection requirements (National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection 2010; www.ecomagazin.ro). The most harmful chemical component in this dumps at the former chemical plant is hexavalent chromium. Long exposure to this pollutant cause lung and skin diseases. Carcinogenic effects of hexavalent chromium have been confirmed by numerous studies. In this article are presented aspects regarding the possibility of contamination of the Târnava Mică River with chemical substances stored in the dumps placed at the former chemical plant, in the event of significant flooding. Knowledge of hydrological and hydraulic situation in the area is essential to identify possibility of significant flooding that could pollute the Târava Mică River. Also, knowledge of the situation in the localities downstream of the former chemical plant is required to assess the impact of a possible pollution wave, which leads to the establishment of optimal measures to be applied in case of such unwanted events. Description of the analyzed area. Târnăveni city is located in the southwestern of Mureş County, at a distance of about 45 km from the main city of this county, Târgu Mureş (Figure 1). Târnăveni city is located in central Transylvanian Basin at the junction of the Târnăveni Plateau Plateau in the north and Dumbrăveni Plateau in the south.
Transcript
ECOTERRA - Journal of Environmental Research and Protection
www.ecoterra-online.ro 2014, Volume 11, Issue 4
32
Study on the environmental pollution risks induced by the former Chemical Plant in Târnăveni, Mureş county Theodor Lupei, Monica Matei, Lucian Laslo, Ana M. Nicolescu
National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, Bucharest, Romania. Corresponding author: T. Lupei, [email protected]
Abstract. Târnăveni is a town considered the third most polluted place in Romania, mainly due to the ruins of the former Chemical Plant, which was closed in 2007. In the former Chemical Plant located right next to this town were made products for different industries such as tannery substances, insecticides, treatments for trees or paint bases in the engineering industry. Residues resulting from the production of chemical substances were stored in three pits located between the former buildings of the plant and the Târnava Mică River, a few tens of meters away. The former Chemical Plant in Târnăveni occupy nearly 100 hectares of land in the southwestern part of the town of which 30 hectares are chemical waste dumps, whose estimated amount would reach 2.5 million tons. The most detrimental component that is in this chemical waste dumps is represented by hexavalent chromium, prolonged exposure through inhalation of this material causes inflammation of the lungs, nose, skin and has carcinogenic effect. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the risk situations that can be generated by this chemical waste dumps, keeping in mind that is in close proximity to the town of Târnăveni and the water flow of the Târnava Mică River. The threat of pollution in this area is considerable, especially considering that if the overlap with some extreme natural events (heavy rainfall, earthquakes, etc.) situation can get out of control and affect the environment and human population. Key Words: pollution, chemical waste dumps, Târnăveni – Mureş County, Târnava Mică River.
Introduction. The chemical industry in Romania marks a strong restructuring after 1989. Today, many chemical plants have been closed for some time and now are potential sources of environmental pollution. Waste resulting from this chemical plants activities were stored in dumps/pits, that are now abandoned and need to be rehabilitated.
In the communist era, the chemical plant in Târnăveni use to produce inorganic product such as sodium dichromate, potassium dichromate, barium salts, chromium salts, zinc oxide, etc.. Waste resulting from activities at this plant were deposited in pits behind the plant, located in the vicinity of the Târnava Mică River.
The chemical plant in Târnăveni was closed in 2002, but in the factory dumps still remain stored approximately 2.5 million tonnes of chemical waste, although storage activity is stopped, this dumps have not been closed in accordance with environmental protection requirements (National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection 2010; www.ecomagazin.ro). The most harmful chemical component in this dumps at the former chemical plant is hexavalent chromium. Long exposure to this pollutant cause lung and skin diseases. Carcinogenic effects of hexavalent chromium have been confirmed by numerous studies.
In this article are presented aspects regarding the possibility of contamination of the Târnava Mică River with chemical substances stored in the dumps placed at the former chemical plant, in the event of significant flooding.
Knowledge of hydrological and hydraulic situation in the area is essential to identify possibility of significant flooding that could pollute the Târava Mică River. Also, knowledge of the situation in the localities downstream of the former chemical plant is required to assess the impact of a possible pollution wave, which leads to the establishment of optimal measures to be applied in case of such unwanted events.
Description of the analyzed area. Târnăveni city is located in the southwestern of Mureş County, at a distance of about 45 km from the main city of this county, Târgu Mureş (Figure 1). Târnăveni city is located in central Transylvanian Basin at the junction of the Târnăveni Plateau Plateau in the north and Dumbrăveni Plateau in the south.
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Figure 1. Localization of Târnăveni city (www.google.com/earth).
The maximum height in the Târnăveni Plateau is 555 m and the maximum difference in level between the Târnăveni Plateau and the Târnavei Mică River meadow is 230 m (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Altimetric dimensional relief map of the Târnăveni city area.
The main surface water collector in the area around Târnăveni city is the Târnava Mică River, which flows from the Gurghiului mountains.
Annual average river flow of the Târnava Mică recorded at the hydrometric station in Târnăveni is 9.77 m3/s, and average transport capacity of the minor riverbed is about 60 m3/s. The maximum flow of the Târnava Mică River was 630 m3/s, recorded at Târnăveni hydrometric station on 07/03/1975.
Also, at the hydrometric station in Târnăveni the "0" level of the hydrometric share, that is a value determined since from the hydrometric station founding, is located at 279.84 m dMB, the attention hydrometric share is at 2.5 m, the flood hydrometric share is at 3.0 m and the threat hydrometric share is at 4.0 m (Mureş Basin Administration 2009).
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In the area of the Târnăveni city, the Târnava Mică River lane is under the influence of the air masses from the west and northwest, which substantially influences the characteristics of climatic parameters.
Average annual air temperature is 9.8oC value and the annual rainfall is recorded at 688 mm (Târnăveni Hall City website).
Târnăveni city's population recorded at the last census in 2011 was 22075 inhabitants (Târnăveni Hall City website).
Industrial activity in the area has developed through the exploitation of methane gas from the early twentieth century. Since 1916, in the city of Târnăveni several businesses carried activities, such as Nitrogen, an explosives and fighting gas plant that preceded the chemical Târnăveni (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Location of the former chemical plant in Târnăveni city.
It was for decades the main provider of jobs for local residents, with over 6500 employees during its maximum development.
With the chemical decay in Târnăveni, after the chemical plant has shut down, the number of city residents in Târnăveni started declining, mainly due to the lack of jobs.
In terms of infrastructure, the city of Târnăveni is connected with the rest of the country with the national road DN 14A and the railway link is established by the seconadary railway number 307, connecting the cities of Blaj, Târnăveni and Praid. Risks of pollution in the area in case of flooding. In general, in this area floods occur during summer (July-August) and are generated by heavy rainfall recorded in short intervals (Environmental Protection Agency 2011). Spring floods are generated by water from the snow melting process, also in some cases with a overlap of a significant amount of rainfall can generate dangerous floods in this area. There are floods generated on permanent or non-permanent watercourses, which can cause massive flooding.
Most significant floods that affected the study area occurred in the years 1970 and 1975. The flash floods that have caused these floodings were caused by rainfall with averages in 24 hours recorded at 75 mm in 1970 and 50 mm in 1975. Although the flood of 1970 was higher than the one in 1975 in terms of quantity, the 1975 flood recorded a maximum flow intensity higher than that the one of 1970.
After the floods of 1970 and 1975 were taken the following measures to prevent these phenomena (Figure 4): - construction on the Cuşmed tributary water course of a storage pool near the village of Bezid, at a distance of about 74 km upstream of the former chemical plant in Târnăveni;
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- construction of a polder near the village of Bălăuşeri approximately 51 km upstream of the former chemical plant in Târnăveni. It comes into operation when flows exceed the 5% probability events on Târnava Mică River, and at lower values of flow the inside of the polder stays dry, being occupied by crops. Draining the water volume accumulated after a flood in the polder is achieved through spillways. - construction of protective dams during the regular course of the Târnava Mică River.
Figure 4. Hydrographic map of the Târnava Mică River sector between the village of
Bălăuşeri and the city of Târnăveni. In the Figure 4 it can be seen that the tributary water courses between the village of Bălăuşeri and the city of Târnăveni are all in the left site of the Târnava Mică River.
Figure 5 shows the flood hazard and risk map of Târnava Mică River, in the area of the former chemical plant at Târnăveni.
Figure 5. Map of flood risk in the area of the former chemical plant at Târnăveni
(Source: Romanian Waters National Administration).
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Looking at the map shown it above can be observed that the corresponding area of the former chemical plant at Târnăveni presents both medium risk and high risk flood. In the event of a significant flash flood on the Târnava Mică River, the former chemical plant may be flooded. In this case, the waste dumps content would be in direct contact with the Târnava Mică River water.
In order to avoid such a situation, in the year 1975 was build a protective dam located south of the former chemical plant, on the right bank of the Târnava Mică River. If the water discharge over the dam is possible that the chemical residues stored on the plant may come into direct contact with the river, and the water users downstream will be affected.
The settlements crossed by the Târnava Mică River in the sector Târnăveni - Blaj are in 19 in number, located in Mureş County (Târnăveni, Dâmbău, Adămuş, Corneşti and Crăieşti) and in Alba County (Cetatea de Baltă, Sântămărie, Feisa, Jidvei, Căpâlna de Jos, Sânmiclău, Şona, Biia, Lunca Târnavei, Pănade, Iclod, Sâncel, Petrisat and Blaj) (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Settlements crossed by the Târnava Mică River between the cities of Târnăveni and Blaj.
In the event of a flash flood, the time for the propagation of the pollution wave on the Târnava Mică River across the sector Târnăveni - Blaj (59 km) is in the range of 22 to 30 hours and if the case of liquid flows under the multiannual average (exemple: in the drought period) in the range of 40-62 hours. Knowing these time intervals is useful for timely warning of downstream water users and to implement proper measures (Mureş Local Council 2013). Waste found in the dumps on the plant (30 ha) of the former chemical plant at Târnăveni former (Figure 7) is approximately 2.5 million tons. A possible water contamination of Târnava Mică River resulting from the contact with the chemical waste dumps on the former chemical plant can lead to heavy metal pollution of the watercourse and with other pollutants identified on the plant.
The chemical waste dumps (Figure 8) contain sodium dichromate and potassium dichromate, and were produced in the chemical plant at Târnăveni and after the manufacturing process chemical waste containing hexavalent chromium was resulted. The most stable hexavalent chromium compounds are chromates and dichromate and the most unstable are peroxochromate and halides chromyl.
Upstream of the chemical waste dumps on the platform of the former chemical plant in the city of Târnăveni on the Târnava Mică River, water quality class in 2005 was in the third category (moderate), this classification was determined for groups of oxygen
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and salinity regime indicators. The Târnava Mică sector downstream of the city Târnăveni is cataloged in the fourth grade quality (poor), this is due to the annual average concentration of hexavalent chromium of 0.155 mg/l. However towards the year 2004, the annual average concentration of hexavalent chromium was at 0.346 mg/l, in 2005 there was a significant improvement on this dangerous pollutant concentration in the water of the Târnava Mică River.
Figure 7. The former chemical plant at Târnăveni (Source:
Figure 8. Chemical waste dumps at the former chemical plant in Târnăveni
(Source: panoramio.ro – Adrian Oroşan).
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Conclusions. The current situation of the former chemical plant in Târnăveni is unclear, which occupies nearly 100 ha of land in the south-west of the city, of which approximately 30 ha are waste dumps whose estimated quantity would amount to about 2.5 million tones. Currently on the former chemical plant territory is a wastewater treatment plant operated by the company Ecotech Waste Bucharest that aims to prevent a heavy metal contamination of the Târnava Mică River watercourse. To prevent water to drain from the chemical waste dumps during rainfall some concrete canals were built to direct the water that is gained here. Also, it was built a concrete wall buried in the ground, 40 m depth, located between the plant and the Târnava Mică River. These protection measures, however, are insufficient and don't completely confined the pollution and risk generated by these dumps of dangerous substances. Although the costs of maintaining the operational level of this wastewater treatment plant are quite high, the funds needed for a complete greening are not accessed yet.
In the event of high quantities of water resulting from rainfall/snow melt those canals would not be able to cope, and would occur water can favor the infiltration in the groundwater aquifers. Such a situation must be early announced and urgent warned of the local authorities of those 19 settlements. Also all the water users downstream of Târnăveni on the Târnava Mică River must be warned. Also, in the event of an earthquake with a high magnitude the underground concrete wall that acts as a barrier between the dumps present on the former chemical plant and the Târnava Mică minor riverbed will suffer damages, and through the cracks created the toxic substances of the dumps will enter into the groundwater and further in the river located a few tens of meters away.
Given that chemical waste dumps at the former chemical plant in Târnăveni are exposed to the atmospheric conditions such as precipitation and wind. The geologic layer on which this waste dump is located should also be isolated, because water infiltrations that wash this dump should not reach the groundwater network. These dumps should also be isolated from the outside environment, to prevent their transport through wind and rainfall.
The chemical waste deposits from the former chemical plant at Târnăveni has some similarities with other industrial waste storage, corresponding to the one of SC AZOMUREŞ SA, which passed through the study stages, authorization and funding for closure and rehabilitation. Similar items for these two objectives are listed below: - the area occupied by the chemical waste dumps present on the former chemical plant at Târnăveni is similar (30 ha) to the waste dump pound at SC AZOMUREŞ SA; - the presence of some dangerous substances is somehow similar between the two waste damps, but the peculiarities of the chemical plant from Târnăveni must be taken into consideration and studied in detail; - considering the small distance between these two locations, weather conditions are similar; - considering the location within Mureş County and waste dump classification conditions of the both deposits implies that the administrative and legislative rigors that faced the two deposits show similar issues; - greening activities regulations of the waste dump pound at AZOMUREŞ aimed at preventing or reducing environmental impacts, in particular the pollution of surface water, groundwater, soil, air, including greenhouse effect, and any health risk toward the population, on the entire operation duration of the landfill and after its expiration.
In the study regarding the AZOMUREŞ waste dump, has been proposed a solution to close and greening the waste dump pound. This solution could be taken into consideration also for the waste dumps on the former chemical plant at Târnăveni. Closure and rehabilitation of the waste dumps at Târnăveni is necessary in order to protect the environment and rendering the 30 ha to the economic cycle. Before the start of a possible greening process, is necessary a preparatory work in order to assure the proper environmental and social conditions.
From the financial point of view, this solution is likely to be achieved by the passage of the territory on which former chemical plant sits, to the Târnăveni City Hall, making it possible to access European funds for greening the affected area.
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References *** Environmental Protection Agency, 2011 Report on the state of the environment in
August 2011, 2011, Târgu Mureş – “Raport privind strarea factorilor de mediu pe luna august 2011” [in Romanian].
*** Mureş Basin Administration, 2009 Management Plan of the Mureş Hydrographic Basin, Târgu Mureş - “Planul de Management al Bazinului Hidrografic Mureş” [in Romanian].
*** Mureş Local Council, 2013 County plan regarding flood defense, ice, hydrological drought, accidents and accidental pollution hydraulic structures on watercourses. 2010-2013 Mureş County, Târgu Mureş – “Plan judeţean de apărare împotriva inundaţiilor, gheţurilor, secetei hidrologice, accidentelor la construcţii hidrotehnice şi poluări accidentale pe cursuri de apă. 2010-2013 Judeţul Mureş” [in Romanian].
*** National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 2010 Report on environmental impact study assessment for the " Closure greening of the waste pound from SC AZOMUREŞ SA Tg. Mureş (S = 30ha), Bucureşti – “Raport la studiul de evaluare a impactului asupra mediului pentru proiectul - Lucrări de închidere-ecologizare a iazului batal de la SC AZOMURES SA Tg. Mures, (S=30ha)” [in Romanian].
*** www.google.com/earth/. *** www.primariatarnaveni.ro/odategeo.php. *** www.rowater.ro – Administraţia Bazinală de Apă Mureş. *** http://romaniateiubesc.stirileprotv.ro/emisiuni/2014/sezonul-1/floarea-chimiei-
romanesti-a-devenit-o-bomba-ecologica-la-tarnaveni-apocalipsa-a-venit-deja.html. *** www.panoramio.ro. Received: 01 November 2014. Accepted: 29 November 2014. Published online: 30 December 2014. Authors: Theodor Lupei, National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 294 Splaiul Independentei, 6th district, 060031, Bucharest, Romania, e-mail: [email protected] Monica Matei, National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 294 Splaiul Independentei, 6th district, 060031, Bucharest, Romania Lucian Laslo, National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 294 Splaiul Independentei, 6th district, 060031, Bucharest, Romania Ana Maria Nicolescu, National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 294 Splaiul Independentei, 6th district, 060031, Bucharest, Romania This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. How to cite this article: Lupei T., Matei M., Laslo L., Nicolescu A. M., 2014 Study on the environmental pollution risks induced by the former Chemical Plant in Târnăveni, Mureş county. Ecoterra 11(4):32-39.
