“What are the environmental concerns associated with battery factories in Hungary?”, 1 March 2023

…In 2020, the government created a special economic zone, taking away land from Göd and ordering large-scale infrastructural developments to prepare for the expansion of the operation from South Korea. Similarly, the SK Innovation battery factory in Iváncsa was placed in a similar special economic zone, which also negatively affects the nearby town of Dunaújváros. Due to government actions, the affected municipalities have been deprived of the right to have a say in these changes, and while they bear all the negative impacts of these factories, the towns do not benefit from the industrial tax revenues enjoyed by the companies concerned.

The domestic regulatory system is not only unable to prevent pollution, accidents, or monitor emissions, but in many cases, it seems to work towards covering up pollution. It appears that the system’s goal is to protect the polluters from residents and environmental groups. However, according to the law, its duty should be to protect the environment and human health from pollution. Due to the lack of uniform EU regulations, many factories have operated or continue to operate without an environmental permit. Moreover, environmental organizations claim that the authorities have also manipulated the emission values.

...

Between 2020 and 2022, the operation of the Göd battery factory’s black dust-emitting sections was repeatedly halted. Due to operating without a permit, authorities imposed disaster-management fines 13 times. Even though each time they warned that they could order a complete suspension of operations, this never occurred.

…

The planned construction of a battery factory a few kilometres from Debrecen has sparked heated debate among locals, as valuable agricultural land is being turned over to industry for the investment, involving approximately 220 hectares. Moreover, local residents were only informed about the plans after they had been finalized, and their opinions were only sought after the state had already agreed on the project with the CATL company carrying out the investment.

…

In the case oft the battery factory being built in Debrecen, the water consumption of the industrial park hosting it, according to an expert preparatory study, could reach up to 60,000 cubic metres per day. This number alone is larger than the total water consumption of the city.

…

…The total annual energy demand for such a battery manufacturing capacity could reach 15-16 TWh, which is comparable to the production of the Paks nuclear power plant. The expected division of thermal and electrical energy demand is not known, but the thermal energy is likely to be generated from natural gas.

…In the case of battery factories, it is not only during the planning and construction phases that environmental and nature protection risks need to be considered. The production of batteries involves the use of many hazardous and toxic chemicals, which, when released into the environment, can harm wildlife and human health.

…In factories like those in Bátonyterenye or Szigetszentmiklós, these batteries are only pre-processed for further use. In practical terms, this means that after discharge, defective or used batteries are shredded in a shredder containing recoverable metals. …

…From Alsózsolca to Sóskút, local residents have been protesting against battery waste recycling plants planned for their towns. These concerns are not unfounded, as the operation permit for a similar plant in Bátonyterenye was suspended in August 2023. The South Korean-owned SungEel Hitech Hungary Kft. plant was unable to comply with regulations related to operations and waste management, and locals regularly experienced unpleasant odours. The Bátonyterenye plant was reopened in the summer of 2024. This company’s Szigetszentmiklós plant has also received several fines for seriously endangering workers, including a fatal accident. The cases of Iklad and Abasár unfortunately show that non-compliance with regulations can cause harm to towns where no waste disposal or recycling plants were authorized…