Poland battles toxic golden algae

Warsaw [Poland], August 20: Polish authorities have introduced hydrogen peroxide into the waters of the Oder River where it joins with the Gliwice Canal to combat toxic golden algae, the Climate and Environmental Protection Ministry announced in Warsaw on Monday.
The move came after large quantities of dead fish were found in the canal and in the Dzierzno Duze reservoir earlier this month. "According to a provisional report, the trial with hydrogen peroxide destroyed the cells of the golden algae and led to a reduction in these algae with an efficiency of 90 percent to 99.9 percent," the ministry said.
Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska stressed that the introduction of the corrosive chemical was a crisis measure. "Our aim is naturally to reduce the contaminants flowing into the Gliwice Canal and the Oder," she said, pointing to a plan to cut salt resulting from mining in the region. A total of 77 tonnes of dead fish has been removed from the canal and reservoir over the past two weeks.
Source: Qatar Tribune