Across numerous Hungarian settlements, crushed stone contaminated with asbestos has been used to surface roads and car parks. Experts warn that the fallout may lead to a surge in cancer cases and other serious illnesses in the years ahead. Despite the gravity of the situation, the Hungarian government failed to engage with the issue in any meaningful way until the end of April. By contrast, Greenpeace Austria has been sounding the alarm since January, describing the affair as one of the most significant environmental scandals of our time, affecting both Austria and Hungary.
Austria knew for months
Asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral, was once widely used in construction due to its fire resistance, insulating properties, flexibility, and low cost. However, as early as the 1970s, it became clear that inhalation of asbestos fibres poses severe health risks, leading to serious lung diseases. Austria banned its use in 1990, though quarrying of asbestos-containing stone continued uninterrupted—ultimately allowing contaminated material to enter Hungary.
The issue came to light in Hungary in April 2026, when alarming concentrations of asbestos fibres were discovered on a crushed-stone road in Szombathely, sourced from a quarry in Burgenland. A public health emergency was promptly declared, yet the Hungarian government remained largely inactive. This inaction stood in stark contrast to developments in Austria, where months earlier investigations had already revealed that residents living near Burgenland quarries were being exposed to significant asbestos pollution. The first substantive Hungarian government measure was not taken until 30 April, and even then, progress extended little beyond assigning responsibilities to relevant institutions.
Attempts at containment
According to Greenpeace, the scale of the problem demands urgent and coordinated action. The organisation has called for the creation of a consultation forum involving ministry leaders, regulatory authorities, local government officials, MPs, and specialists in asbestos removal and testing, in order to expedite decision-making. Simply covering affected roads and car parks, they argue, cannot constitute a long-term solution.
Since then, contamination has been identified in Kőszeg—where nurseries and social care institutions are among those affected—as well as in Harka, Szentgotthárd, parts of Heves County, and several settlements in Zala County. In some locations, asbestos levels have exceeded permissible limits by as much as fiftyfold. In Szombathely, local authorities have sought to mitigate dust emissions through traffic restrictions, speed limits, continuous watering, the application of geotextiles, calcium chloride treatment, the addition of domestic crushed stone, and bituminous sealing. These measures have yielded some improvement in readings. Meanwhile, László Gajdos, the newly appointed minister responsible for the living environment, made the affected region his first official visit.
Why asbestos is dangerous
Asbestos does not pose a direct threat when contained within intact materials such as undamaged roofing. The danger arises when such materials are broken—through drilling or simple ageing—releasing microscopic fibres into the air. These fibres, invisible to the naked eye, can be inhaled and lodge permanently in the lungs, where over decades they may cause inflammation, irritation, cancer, and loss of lung elasticity. For this reason, asbestos-containing materials should never be disturbed without specialist expertise; removal must always be entrusted to qualified professionals.
Our previous articles in the issue: Hungarian city faces health risk after asbestos-linked gravel traced to Austrian quarries
Dangerous asbestos-contaminated stone found in another Hungarian city
Press reports indicate that the Austrian gravel quarries implicated in the case have since been closed. The scandal has also sent shockwaves through Austrian politics, with public figures expressing disbelief that extraction could continue despite a ban on asbestos in place for 36 years.
Photo: Szombathely.hu
Stefan Stadler, a Greenpeace expert, has described the contamination as “the greatest environmental scandal of our time in Austria and Hungary”, noting that it is without precedent for such large quantities of a known carcinogen to have reached so many people long after its use was prohibited.
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