A toxic sludge spill in Hungary killed at least three people today and the government declared a state of emergency.
Mud contaminated with the waste products from aluminum production ruptured from an open containment pond flooding three villages and affecting an area of more than 15 square miles.
Environmental groups in Hungary say they have been urging the government to address the risks of "red sludge" for years. A 2003 study found that the country contained some 30 million tons of the toxic waste.
Like coal ash, which is stored in wet containment ponds in the U.S., the sludge in Hungary contains heavy metals, which pose a severe threat to human life. In December, 2008 a coal ash containment pond ruptured in Tennessee spilling more than 2.5 million cubic yards of sludge.
Read the full story about Hungary at the link below.
