Authorities in Denmark are currently battling against time to prevent a slow-moving landslide of contaminated soil from reaching a nearby water source, while public officials and the company responsible for the site engage in a dispute over who should bear the cost of the extensive cleanup.
The landslide, which began on December 10, involves a massive heap of dirt, measuring 75 meters (250 feet) in height, located at the Nordic Waste reprocessing plant in the northwestern town of Randers. This heap contains approximately 3 million cubic meters (100 million cubic feet) of soil contaminated with heavy metals and oil products. The landslide is steadily advancing towards a stream connected to the Baltic Sea via the Randers Fjord, at a rate of up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) per hour.
Initially, Nordic Waste was tasked with handling the situation, but after nine days of attempting to gain control, the company relinquished responsibility to the Randers Municipality. The municipality is now working to reroute the stream using pipes to ensure that it bypasses the contaminated site safely.
To contain the potential environmental disaster, efforts are underway to extend the existing pipes, construct a sheet pile wall, and create several basins for the contaminated water. However, the work is proving to be tremendously challenging, with Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke highlighting that the influx of rain and melting snow poses a significant problem. Recent weather conditions in western Denmark have brought substantial amounts of precipitation, exacerbating the situation.
A report released by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) on Monday identified the continuous deposition of soil on a sloping clay pit at Nordic Waste as the primary cause of the landslide. GEUS further noted that landslides have occurred in the region since 2021.
United Shipping and Trading Company (USTC), the company behind Nordic Waste, initially attributed the landslide to unprecedented climatic conditions beyond its control. According to USTC, the area has experienced record-breaking levels of rainfall in 2023, resulting in a natural disaster of an unprecedented magnitude. However, as the cleanup operations continue, the question of who will foot the bill remains uncertain.
Nordic Waste declared bankruptcy earlier this week after the Danish Environmental Protection Agency ordered the company to provide security worth more than 200 million kroner ($29.2 million) to prevent further environmental damage. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who visited the site on Monday, voiced concern about Danish taxpayers being burdened with the costs while emphasizing the need for fairness.
Nina Østergaard Borris, CEO of Nordic Waste, estimated that it would take up to five years to fully restore the site, with the potential cost running into billions of kroner. She emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that the task at hand exceeded the capacity of both Nordic Waste and USTC.
The incident has sparked a debate about the moral responsibility of Nordic Waste to cover the expenses. The government has criticized Torben Østergaard-Nielsen, Denmark's sixth-richest man and the individual behind USTC, for his failure to contribute towards the cleanup efforts.
As authorities work relentlessly to halt the landslide's progression and secure the polluted soil, attention now rests on resolving the financial dispute and ensuring that a fair resolution is reached to protect the environment and prevent undue burden on the Danish taxpayer.
