The Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic reported on Wednesday the discovery of 200 toxic drums buried in a park. It is estimated that one thousand tons of soil will require decontamination as part of a process that will last until 2028.
This area is located near the border with Austria and was previously used for military purposes during the communist regime. Although its strategic military status was lost after the country returned to democracy in 1989, the drums caused a leak of toxic substances.
Corrosion of the drums, which contain dioxins, furans, mercury, chlorinated solvents, and arsenic, has led to the contamination of an area equivalent to two football fields, according to the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB). SÚJB specified on Wednesday that the results of the work did not reveal substances historically used as chemical weapons, such as mustard gas or sarin, at the site.
The investigation began after this area served as a training ground for Czechoslovak troops specializing in chemical warfare. Despite the lack of confirmation regarding the use of such weapons, SÚJB classified the area as a zone of significant environmental risk.
Environment Minister Igor Červený also pointed out the danger of poisonous gases, such as phosgene, in the event of a fire. SÚJB intends to accurately determine the scale and nature of the contamination at the investigated storage sites, identify any previously unnoticed health and safety risks, and establish necessary measures.
Although suspicions about the source of contamination in this area have existed since 2023, specific measures were only implemented now. These include an operation to remove the drums and a restoration project, the cost of which is estimated at approximately 8 million euros and is scheduled until June 2028.
Meanwhile, the Šumava National Park will remain open to tourists, announced Jan Dvořák, press secretary of the park administration. Dvořák assured visitors that they do not need to worry about any restrictions, and that there will be no changes for pedestrians and cyclists.