At the request of a civil initiative called Za Kidričevo (For Kidričevo), a soil analysis was carried out in the Municipality of Kidričevo on Monday. It is expected to show whether Kidričevo should be classified as a ‘degraded area’. The Municipality itself does not believe that the area warrants such a designation. The civil initiative has been campaigning for years to have the area recognized as a degraded area. Branko Štrucl, the leader of the civil initiative, said on Monday that the health of the local community is compromised due to toxic red mud in the soil.

Kidričevo could be entitled to damage payments
“Last year, the EU clearly said that red mud is a toxic substance. It’s classified as mining waste and it’s very dangerous,” said Štrucl. According to his estimations, there are around six tonnes of red mud in Kidričevo and the surrounding area.

Štrucl called upon Prime Minister Miro Cerar to look into the matter. He expects Cerar to examine whether the municipality could be classified as a degraded area and whether it qualifies for damage payments. Moreover, Štrucl expects the government to build a new road leading to Talum, Slovenia’s largest aluminium producer, and appoint a resident of the Municipality of Kidričevo to the company’s supervisory board.

The results of the analysis, which was paid for by the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO), are expected to be announced within a month. Štrucl said that he would lodge a criminal complaint against Anton Leskovar, the mayor of Kidričevo, for claiming that the people of Kidričevo live in a healthy environment.

Danijel Poslek, Radio Slovenija; translated by D.V.