A study by environmental group Arnika found toxic chemicals including PCBs and DDT in soil, dust, and eggs near Čáslav landfill, prompting calls for expanded monitoring and decontamination. The findings emerged as a court halted the site’s expansion, leaving AVE CZ to challenge the decision.
A study by environmental organization Arnika revealed contamination near Čáslav landfill, with toxic chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT, and heavy metals detected in soil, dust, and eggs from nearby farms. The research, conducted in collaboration with opposition members and supported by senator Bohuslav Procházka, highlighted risks to local communities and ecosystems. The findings come amid a legal battle over the landfill’s expansion, which a regional court recently blocked, citing environmental concerns.
Toxic Findings in Soil, Dust, and Eggs
Analyses of 14 soil, water, and dust samples, along with four egg samples from free-range chickens, uncovered elevated levels of hazardous substances. PCBs, known carcinogens linked to liver and immune system damage, were found in two of the egg samples at concentrations exceeding the European intervention threshold of 1.75 picograms per gram of fat. DDT, a persistent pesticide, and hexachlorobenzene, a byproduct of industrial processes, were also detected in higher quantities than in supermarket eggs. Deník reported that one egg sample surpassed the EU limit for PCBs in food, while another approached the dioxin limit.
Soil and dust samples from the landfill’s perimeter showed alarming levels of lead, with 886 milligrams per kilogram recorded on the main access road—exceeding the industrial area indicator value of 800 mg/kg. The study’s authors, including Arnika’s Nikola Jelínek, warned that wind could spread contaminated dust into residential areas. This is a long-term risk. Soil samples also revealed PFAS chemicals, which resist natural degradation, and contaminants linked to landfill leachate in waterlogged areas.
Court Halts Expansion, Sparks Legal Battle
The regional court’s ruling in mid-September halted the landfill’s expansion, citing flaws in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) approved by the Ministry of the Environment. The decision, reported by Novinky, followed a challenge by the Czech Union of Nature Conservationists (Zelená Čáslav). The EIA’s validity is now in question, and the expansion cannot proceed without a revised assessment, said opposition councilor Martin Jusko. AVE CZ, the landfill operator, has announced it will file a cassation appeal, arguing that the court’s decision undermines its right to operate.
The court’s intervention has intensified pressure on local authorities to address contamination concerns. Arnika and Čáslav pro všechny, the opposition group that initiated the monitoring, are urging officials to expand environmental oversight. A full decontamination of the surrounding soil should occur before the landfill is sealed, said Jindřich Petrlík of Arnika, according to Metro. The group also called for stricter controls on dust emissions and more frequent testing of groundwater for PFAS and other persistent pollutants.
AVE’s Response and Ongoing Uncertainty
AVE CZ acknowledged the study’s findings but emphasized that its own ongoing tests are still underway. The company previously argued that the landfill’s expansion was necessary to manage regional waste, but the court’s ruling has thrown its plans into limbo.
However, the landfill remains operational, with no immediate plans to close it. The current state of the landfill is already a risk, said Veronika Jandová of Čáslav pro všechny, according to Metro. Even if the expansion is blocked, we need a comprehensive cleanup of existing contamination.
What Comes Next? A Contested Future
The coming months will determine whether the landfill’s expansion moves forward or if its closure becomes inevitable.
For now, the focus remains on the landfill’s current operations. The city has yet to announce plans for its eventual closure, and the long-term health impacts of the detected contaminants remain unclear. We need more data to understand the full extent of the risk, said Jandová. But one thing is certain: the landfill’s presence is a problem that cannot be ignored.
