Another one? Battery plant in Hungary started investigation after worker claims they have been poisoned

A Chinese-owned battery manufacturing facility in eastern Hungary has launched an internal investigation after allegations surfaced that workers were poisoned at its Debrecen facility.

Where have we heard this before?

The company, CATL, confirmed on Saturday that it had begun examining reports that recently appeared in the media. In a statement, the firm said the inquiry was ongoing and that it would inform the public about developments. It also pledged to notify authorities where necessary and cooperate fully with any official procedures, stressing that employee safety and environmental protection remain top priorities.

The case came to light after Zsolt Tárkányi, a parliamentary candidate for the Tisza Party in Hajdú-Bihar County, posted a video teaser on Facebook. In the clip, an anonymous worker — with their face hidden and voice distorted — described symptoms consistent with chemical exposure at a battery plant in Debrecen, writes Telex.

In case you missed it: Looks like the Samsung battery plant’s management tried to make the Hungarian government halt investigations into poisoning workers.

The worker talks about the battery plant incident in a video published by a Tisza Party member

According to the account, at least two employees reportedly suffered poisoning a few days earlier. The worker claimed that gases and compounds, including lithium, manganese and cobalt, leaked from a battery cell during handling. They described experiencing throat pain, severe headaches and trembling before losing consciousness. Colleagues allegedly reported that the person briefly showed signs of disorientation and partial paralysis. The candidate said the published footage was only a short extract and that the full interview would be released later.

The allegations have reignited wider debate in Hungary over workplace safety standards in the rapidly expanding battery manufacturing sector. In recent years, similar concerns have been raised about regulatory compliance and health risks at other facilities, including earlier controversies linked to a plant operated by Samsung in the town of Göd. For now, CATL has not confirmed whether the alleged incident occurred at its site, saying only that it is reviewing the claims and will provide further information once the investigation progresses.

Have you heard? Eyewitnesses claim high-level Hungarian government ties shielded irregular South Korean battery plant bosses.

Even the press office of the Prime Minister responded

The Prime Minister’s Press Office also responded to the news regarding CATL Debrecen launching after Tisza Party’s candidate posted a video in which a woman with a distorted voice talked about having symptoms of poisoning at the factory. The Prime Minister’s Press Office wrote to Telex that

In Hungary, everyone must comply with the law and ensure that everyone else complies with it too – small or large companies, Hungarian or foreign companies alike. The authorities investigate all irregularities and if any rumors of violations of occupational safety rules prove to be true, they impose severe penalties.