1.
WS Cologne dump with trucks emptying rubbish (3 shots)
0.14

2.
SV Workmen operate screw digger and taking samples (3 shots)
0.29

3.
MV ZOOM IN TO Samples in plastic tube
0.35

4.
CV Sign "Grevenbroich"
0.38

5.
MV & CU Excavator lifts rubbish into truck (3 shots)
0.50

6.
GV Nievenheim zinc factory (2 shots)
0.56

7.
MV PAN Truck arrives with poison
1.02

8.
CV Sign "Stolberger" zinc factory
1.04

9.
GV PAN Truck unloads poison, PAN TO heap
1.14



Initials BB/0155 OJP/DW/BB/0230



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Industrial waste containing as much as ten per cent of arsenic which has been dumped in open rubbish pits all over the Cologne district during the past few months has dangerously contaminated many lakes and streams, and workers and police teams have been working frantically to locate and recover as much of the waste as they can. At the weekend at least 600 tens of waste had still not been located, mainly because the haulage firm used to transport it from the district's zinc factories, could not remember the exact locations of tips used. The random dumping has taken place ever since a local authority refused to allow the lime waste to be buried in a disused mine. Near the Fuehlinger lake 110 homeless families living in temporary shelters have been warned not to drink tap water, and have received emergency supplies by road tanker. The factories are now processing the recovered waste to eliminate the arsenic content.

SYNOPSIS: For the past few months open rubbish dumps in the Cologne district, such as this one, have been used by a haulage contract to dispose of industrial lime waste products which contain arsenic. The waste, from zinc factories, has been dumped throughout the district over since a local authority refused to allow the waste to be dispose of in a disused mine. Several lakes and streams have now been found to be dangerously contaminated by the arsenic, and an all-out effort is being made to locate all the dumping sites and recover the waste.

Those sites which have been positively located, often after the taking of samples, are now the scene of great activity as the waste is recovered for transport back to the zinc factories. At the factories the waste will be processed to extract the arsenic content.

At the weekend 600 of the 3,400 tons of dumped waste has still not been located as the haulage firm could not remember all the dumping sites. However latest reports indicate that contaminated drinking water supplies may not be as badly affected as at firs thought.