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{{short description|November 1986 environmental disaster in Switzerland}}
⚫ The '''Sandoz chemical spill''' was a major ] caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at ] agrochemical storehouse in Schweizerhalle, ], ], on 1 November 1986, which released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the ], turning it red.<ref>. BBC</ref> The chemicals caused a massive mortality of wildlife downstream, killing among other things a large proportion of the ] population in the Rhine,<ref>Herbert Güttinger & Werner Stumm (1992). An Analysis of the Rhine Pollution caused by the Sandoz Chemical Accident, 1986. ''Interdisciplinary Science Reviews'' 17 (2), 127-136.</ref> although the situation subsequently recovered within a couple of years.<ref>Anton Lelek & Christian Köhler (1990). Restoration of fish communities of the rhine river two years after a heavy pollution wave. ''Regulated Rivers: Research & Management'' 5 (1): 57-66.</ref> The stored chemicals included, ], fluorescent dye, ] insecticides, ] compounds and ]s.<ref>B. Hurni. Sandoz Accident. In: ''Organic Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment: Proceedings of the Fifth European Symposium, Rome, Italy, October 20–22, 1987''. Boston: Kluwer, 1988. P. 128-131.</ref> Among the major resulting water pollutants were ], the organophosphate chemicals ], ], ], ], ] and ], as well as the organochlorine ].<ref>Efraim Halfon & Rainer Büggemann (2006). Environmental Hazard Ranking of Chemicals Spilled in the Rhine River in November 1986. ''Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica'' 17(1), 47-60.</ref>
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{{Commons category|Schweizerhalle fire and chemical spill}}


The '''Sandoz chemical spill''' was a major ] caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at ] agrochemical storehouse in the '''Schweizerhalle''' industrial complex, ], ], on 1 November 1986, which released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the ], turning it red.<ref>, ].</ref>
⚫ The cause of the blaze was never established.<ref name="moot" /> In 2000 ], a former senior U.S. intelligence official, stated that the Soviet ] had ordered the East German ] to sabotage the chemical factory. According to him, the operation's objective was to distract attention from the ] six months earlier in the Soviet Union.<ref>KGB ordered Swiss explosion to distract attention from Chernobyl. United Press International. 27 Nov 2000</ref><ref name="sandozirishtimes">. The Irish Times. Nov 23, 2000.</ref><ref>Sehnsucht Natur: Ökologisierung des Denkens (2009). Johannes Straubinger.</ref> The Swiss authorities were considering opening investigations again.<ref name="sandozirishtimes"/><ref name="moot">. Swiss info.</ref>

⚫ The chemicals caused a massive mortality of wildlife downstream, killing, among other animals, a large proportion of the ] population in the Rhine,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Güttinger |first1=Herbert |last2=Stumm |first2=Werner |title=Ecotoxicology An Analysis of the Rhine Pollution caused by the Sandoz Chemical Accident, 1986 |journal=Interdisciplinary Science Reviews |date=June 1992 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=127–136 |doi=10.1179/isr.1992.17.2.127}}</ref> although the situation subsequently recovered within a couple of years.<ref>Anton Lelek & Christian Köhler (1990). Restoration of fish communities of the rhine river two years after a heavy pollution wave. ''Regulated Rivers: Research & Management'' 5 (1): 57-66.</ref> Among the major resulting water pollutants were ], the organophosphate chemicals ], ], ], ], ] and ], as well as the organochlorine ].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Halfon |first1=Efraim |last2=Büggemannr |first2=Rainer |title=Environmental Hazard Ranking of Chemicals Spilled in the Rhine River in November 1986 |journal=Acta Hydrochimica et Hydrobiologica |date=January 1989 |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=47–60 |doi=10.1002/aheh.19890170107}}</ref>

⚫ The cause of the blaze was never established.<ref name="moot" /> In 2000, ], a former senior U.S. intelligence official, stated that the Soviet ] had ordered the East German ] to sabotage the chemical factory. According to him, the operation's objective was to distract attention from the ] six months earlier in the Soviet Union.<ref>KGB ordered Swiss explosion to distract attention from Chernobyl. United Press International. 27 Nov 2000</ref><ref name="sandozirishtimes">. The Irish Times. Nov 23, 2000.</ref><ref>Sehnsucht Natur: Ökologisierung des Denkens (2009). Johannes Straubinger.</ref> The Swiss authorities were considering opening investigations again.<ref name="sandozirishtimes"/><ref name="moot">. Swiss info.</ref> {{update-inline|date=December 2020}} No evidence of this presumed sabotage has ever surfaced.{{fact|date=December 2021}}


As a consequence of the incident Sandoz extended its health, safety and environment activities and introduced new procedures for risk and emergency management, including auditing.<ref></ref> As a consequence of the incident Sandoz extended its health, safety and environment activities and introduced new procedures for risk and emergency management, including auditing.<ref></ref>


== Notes and references == == Notes and references ==
{{Reflist|500px}} {{reflist|35em}}


== See also == == See also ==
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* {{HDS|24598|Environment}}


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Latest revision as of 00:37, 27 June 2024

November 1986 environmental disaster in Switzerland
Cleanup efforts after the fire

The Sandoz chemical spill was a major environmental disaster caused by a fire and its subsequent extinguishing at Sandoz agrochemical storehouse in the Schweizerhalle industrial complex, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, on 1 November 1986, which released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the Rhine river, turning it red.

The chemicals caused a massive mortality of wildlife downstream, killing, among other animals, a large proportion of the European eel population in the Rhine, although the situation subsequently recovered within a couple of years. Among the major resulting water pollutants were dinitro-ortho-cresol, the organophosphate chemicals propetamphos, parathion, disulfoton, thiometon, etrimphos and fenitrothion, as well as the organochlorine metoxuron.

The cause of the blaze was never established. In 2000, Vincent Cannistraro, a former senior U.S. intelligence official, stated that the Soviet KGB had ordered the East German Stasi to sabotage the chemical factory. According to him, the operation's objective was to distract attention from the Chernobyl disaster six months earlier in the Soviet Union. The Swiss authorities were considering opening investigations again. No evidence of this presumed sabotage has ever surfaced.

As a consequence of the incident Sandoz extended its health, safety and environment activities and introduced new procedures for risk and emergency management, including auditing.

Notes and references

  1. 1986: Chemical spill turns Rhine red, BBC News.
  2. Güttinger, Herbert; Stumm, Werner (June 1992). "Ecotoxicology An Analysis of the Rhine Pollution caused by the Sandoz Chemical Accident, 1986". Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. 17 (2): 127–136. doi:10.1179/isr.1992.17.2.127.
  3. Anton Lelek & Christian Köhler (1990). Restoration of fish communities of the rhine river two years after a heavy pollution wave. Regulated Rivers: Research & Management 5 (1): 57-66.
  4. Halfon, Efraim; Büggemannr, Rainer (January 1989). "Environmental Hazard Ranking of Chemicals Spilled in the Rhine River in November 1986". Acta Hydrochimica et Hydrobiologica. 17 (1): 47–60. doi:10.1002/aheh.19890170107.
  5. ^ Police moot new probe into Schweizerhalle blaze. Swiss info.
  6. KGB ordered Swiss explosion to distract attention from Chernobyl. United Press International. 27 Nov 2000
  7. ^ Stasi accused of Swiss disaster. The Irish Times. Nov 23, 2000.
  8. Sehnsucht Natur: Ökologisierung des Denkens (2009). Johannes Straubinger.
  9. Website of doCOUNT Ltd.

See also


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