Tesla Grünheide: Incident more serious than previously assumed

The incident at the Tesla factory in Grünheide near Berlin is apparently much worse than previously thought. This is reported by the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP). A leak occurred in the paint shop on April 14, causing a “water-polluting liquid”to escape.

ÖDP report on Tesla Grünheide incident

In the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide near Berlin, a suspected water-polluting substance leaked on April 14. Relatively quickly, the responsible state environmental agency announced that the liquid from the paint shop had not entered the environment, but the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) is of a different opinion.

Thus, the party has photos that prove that the liquid flowed onto the plant road in front of the hall gates, through the gate of the paint shop over a sloping ramp onto the road. “Presumably, some of the liquid even flowed over the edge of the ramp into an open ditch and seeped there,” informs the ÖDP.

Directly before the incident, an explosion had been heard by witnesses in the vicinity. “Whether there is a connection to the incident is unclear, but could be possible because of the temporal proximity,” so the ÖDP further.

Missing plant fire brigade

The greatest possible precautions with hazard prevention plans and a plant fire department are indispensable in the handling of water-polluting substances in a water protection area. An appropriate plant fire department is missing however with Tesla green heath, although it was originally a condition for the granting of the operating license.

Further the ÖDP communicates that Tesla had to assign even a specialized company with the removal. Until this arrived, the hazardous substances had continued to enter the environment.

According to our information, even the “State Office for the Environment” was concealed, about which hazardous substances it was concretely

Also the responsible water board Strausberg-Erkner had not been informed about the incident and criticized this sharply. At the beginning of March 2022, the starting signal for the Tesla Gigafactory fell in Grünheide near Berlin, however revealed at the time already problems with the water supply.

After the Tesla incident, the ÖDP Brandenburg is now demanding that operations be suspended until comprehensive incident precautions are in place. “In addition, information on the official monitoring plan, on-site inspections at Tesla in accordance with § § 16 and 17 of the 12th BImSchV and other information under the Environmental Information Act must be made known,” continues the ÖDP.