A potentially hazardous solvent has been detected in soil at the SK On battery plant in Iváncsa, raising concerns about possible contamination of groundwater in the area.
The company informed the local council that its own monitoring tests had detected NMP (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) in a monitoring well located inside the factory site. NMP is a solvent used in industrial processes and is classified as hazardous to human health, including because of its potential to harm unborn children.
The contamination was reportedly discovered on 28 August, according to the company. Authorities were notified immediately, and investigations have since begun. SK On told the municipality that the source of the contamination had been eliminated and that processes capable of causing further pollution had been suspended.
Local authorities order independent water testing
According to Hungarian News Agency (MTI), Iváncsa Mayor Tibor Molnár ordered the immediate testing of water from one drilled or dug well on every street in the village. The samples will be collected and analysed by an independent, accredited laboratory, with the full cost covered by the municipality.
Gabriella Sáfár, the municipality’s clerk, said the tests would be repeated within a month regardless of the results of the initial sampling. “The speed of action and the health of local residents are more important than money,” she said.
The municipality has also requested information from the environmental authorities about the ongoing investigation. Importantly, officials stressed that the village’s main drinking water supply is not affected by the incident. Iváncsa’s piped drinking water is supplied from Ercsi through a pipeline.
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Authorities investigating whether contamination has spread
Tisza Party MP Ervin Nagy, who represents the area, said he had consulted the relevant authorities following the discovery. According to Nagy, an immediate investigation was launched and the operator stopped wastewater discharges linked to the affected technological processes. A second-degree water management emergency was also declared on 2 September following a recommendation from the water authority.
Accredited water samples have already been taken, although the results are not yet available. Nagy said the authorities were also preparing a more extensive investigation, including exploratory drilling and further groundwater testing, while a remediation procedure was being initiated.
For now, it therefore remains unclear whether the contamination has spread beyond the factory’s internal monitoring area or affected groundwater outside the site.
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SK On says it has suspended the relevant equipment
SK On Hungary confirmed the contamination in a statement sent to MTI. The company said it had immediately taken the necessary precautionary measures in accordance with its internal procedures, including suspending the operation of the relevant equipment.
It added that it was fully cooperating with the authorities’ investigation and any further measures that may be required.
“We sincerely regret if this matter has caused concern among local residents and the community, as well as the relevant authorities and our employees,” the company said. SK On stressed that safety and environmental protection remain its top priorities.
Iváncsa plant previously fined HUF 100 million
The latest incident comes only weeks after the Iváncsa battery plant was fined HUF 100 million following an investigation into workplace safety.
According to previously reported findings, authorities concluded that the health and physical safety of 65 workers had been seriously and directly endangered. Among the concerns was the inadequate provision of protective equipment when handling hazardous mixtures.
Workers reportedly needed P3-level respiratory protection and gloves suitable for protection against chemical exposure, but were instead instructed to use FFP2 masks and latex gloves. The authorities also found shortcomings in the separation of contaminated work clothing from clean street clothes.
