Philip Max Baum, 9 December 2021, "Dismantling postindustrial ruins", contributed by Philipp Max Baum, Disaster STS Network, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 9 December 2021, accessed 1 December 2024. http://465538.bc062.asia/content/dismantling-postindustrial-ruins
Critical Commentary
In some cases (mainly around Bitterfeld), the removal of larger areas of contaminated soil and water would held to stop the influx of toxic substances. The main reason why this is not executed on a large scale is the enourmous cost of such an operation. Not funds currently exists for such an enterprise. Also, there is currently no safe storage solution for such an amount of contaminated soil and water.
The removal of dams and other infrastructure in the waterways to re-enable the water bodies to flow in their natural ways would help eco-systems to better cope with the pollution.
Government supervision of corporations and their handling of toxic waste could improve further contamintion. Yet, because of a trend in germany politics to trust corporations to take responsible actions, supervision is currently very inconsistent.