THE STATE OF ENVIRONMENT IN SELECTED REGIONS

Stredný Gemer (Middle Gemer) Region

AIR ..... WATER ..... SOIL ..... WASTE

The region of Stredný Gemer is surrounded by Muráo valley stretching from Revúca, Lubeník and Jelšava valley, by Rimava valley stretching from Hnúšťa to Hačava and finally by Slaná valley stretching from Nižná Slaná to Slavec. The whole region is a part of Revúca Highland connected to Rožňava basin and occupies the regions of three districts: Rimavská Sobota, Revúca and Rožňava. The environmental impact on this region is caused by the extraction and treatment of mineral raw materials and by chemical industry. In this endangered region, there are 56 000 inhabitants living in 19 settlements, three are municipal, under the environmental impact. The region occupies the area of 401 km².

Air Pollution

Basic characteristics of main producers of air pollution and pollutants

• The emission of basic pollutants from the four largest sources of air pollution in this endangered region was 7 692 t in 1997, that means the decrease by 608 t compared to the year 1996
• The decrease of the volume of SO₂ emissions (210.7 t less than in 1996) in SMZ a.s. Jelšava was caused by the change of fuel (now the gas is used)
• The decrease of SPM emissions (145 t less than in 1996) came in Siderit Nižná Slaná when the new electromagnetic separator started working
• The technical and technological measures on air protection and also reduction or even abandonment of some technologies in SLZ a.s. Hnúšťa, caused the decrease of the volume of basic pollutants by 226 t (it is less then in 1996)
• The solid pollutants from SMZ a.s. Jelšava and Slovmag a.s. Lubeník contained high concentrations of Mg and from the point of hygiene were significant the concentrations of Cd and Pb as well.

Table 65 The largest sources of air pollution in Stredný Gemer region according to the emissions of basic air pollutants from 1996 to 1997 (t per year)

Source: SHMÚ

Water Pollution

Basic characteristics of the quality of surface watercourses at the sampling sites in 1997

• The high values of COD_cr at the sampling site below Jelšava in the watercourse of the river Muráo in the last year were the reasons for the change of water quality category to the category III
• To the lower quality category were also put the waters in the river Rimava watershed at the sampling site below Hačava because of the high content of IS, Mn and Fe (IS- category V, Mn- category III). The high values of ENP and bacteriological indicators were the reasons for the change of water quality category to categories IV and V
• The waters in the river Slaná watershed are in the quality category III-V because of their pollution by the industrial production in SLZ a.s. Hnúšťa, Paper Mill a.s. Slavošovce, SMZ a.s. Jelšava and Slovmag a.s. Lubeník
• The new mechanico-chemical WWTP started working in 1997 and 30-50 % of treated water is reutilized during production. When the project of reconstruction of charcoal production was completed in SLZ a.s. Hnúšťa, the production of waste water was 600-800 t of BOD₅ lower.

Table 66 The largest sources of surface water pollution in Stredný Gemer endangered region according to selected indicators of discharged pollutants in 1996 and 1997

Source: SHMÚ

Soil Pollution

The soil quality was degraded esp. by solid pollutants of MgO, Fe₂O₃, CaO, SiO₂ with the high content of magnesium, cadmium and lead. Magnesium is not a dangerous trace element but the considerable volume of this element near the plants for magnesium production can cause direct physical damage to soil. The considerable reduction of soil production is evident in the soil of category 3 and 5. Soil of category 5 is degraded in some territories to such extent, that the production is impossible. The damage of the forest land is also indicated in the area of 16 728.7 ha (levels A-D) of endangered forest land. The soil contamination by heavy metals such as As, Ni, Cu, Hg, Mn near Nižná Slaná was caused by mining and the treatment of mineral raw materials.

Waste Management

There is only one registered regional landfill site for the treatment of bulky municipal waste. Large factories treat their waste in accordance to the legislation. The environment impact is caused by the mining and the treatment production in Slovmag a.s. Lubeník and SMZ a.s. Jelšava.

Table 67 Landfill sites in Stredný Gemer endangered region

^*landfill sites of construction category I.

Source: SAŽP