Severe pollution has appeared along a 60-kilometre stretch of Poland’s Barycz River running close to five nature reserves
The water has turned black and smelt of rotten matter
with scores of dead fish and other animals reported
The cause of the contamination remains unconfirmed
though it is possible that recent heavy rainfall washed manure into the water
Left-wing politicians have criticised the delayed response of the environmental authorities
saying that earlier action could have contained the pollution
Zatruta została Barycz. Tlenu już w rzece nie ma, jest martwa. I co? I nic. Rządowe „Wody Polskie” się schowały. Dlaczego?Bo wybory.Dramat. pic.twitter.com/RsnYPbOmkO
— Bartek Ciążyński (@BartekCiazynski) July 7, 2020
Barycz is a river in the western provinces of Greater Poland and Lower Silesia
It is surrounded by the Barycz Valley Landscape Park
and one of the largest fish pond complexes in Europe
Local fishermen first reported changes in the river at the start of July
when they noticed the water had turned black and smelt of rotten matter
Measurements taken by the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) in Wrocław confirmed that the issue was not caused by chemicals
but that low levels of oxygen were present along with a high concentration of organic and ammonium nitrogen
The contamination had also spread across a significant area
“Barycz is a dead river today,” Sławomir Strzelecki
“And probably all the fish in many ponds which draw water from it will also be wiped out.”
‼️ Zanieczyszczenie rzeki Barycz ‼️W środę 1 lipca pracownicy spółki Stawy Milickie SA odkryli
Opublikowany przez Stawy Milickie SA Piątek, 3 lipca 2020
all tributaries were immediately closed to prevent further damage as soon as the pollution had been reported
The Crisis Management Centre (CZK) has also assured residents that they have “done everything” they can to protect the environment
“All possible weirs have been opened so that the river cleans itself as it flows,” Konstancja Jeziorska from the centre told TVN24
“All pond culverts have been closed so that no pollution can get in – although we already know that it has been able to get into some ponds.”
some MPs have criticised the speed of the response by the environmental authorities
and appealed for urgent intervention from the national government
“The ecological threat exceeds the scope and possibilities of local self-government intervention,” argued left-wing MP Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk in a press release
“The environment ministry should coordinate the activities.”
said she had spoken to the mayor of Milicz about the “alarming” situation
“The ecological disaster occurred at the turn of June and July
while state institutions do nothing,” said Trzacz
“Local governments were not allowed to manage rivers
including the Barycz – this is managed by Wody Polskie [the state body managing Poland’s waters]
which has not taken any action for over a week.”
has alleged that he has struggled to contact Wody Polskie and regional water management authorities
telling TVN24 that he has since commissioned private testing of the water
Wody Polskie said that they have “monitored the situation on the river every day since the beginning [of the crisis]”
They went on to assure that the nature reserve and pond complex are safe and the areas managed by the company remain open to tourists
the environment ministry reassured that they undertook “urgent intervention immediately after detecting the event”
adding that “recent measurement results as well as a direct examination of the Barycz river confirm that the situation is slowly improving”
The ministry added that the “oxygen conditions
aeration and water transparency are improving
Live fry can be observed in the river”
Efforts are still ongoing to discover the cause of the pollution
from the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Poznań
said that the conditions may have been caused by recent heavy rainfall washing manure into the water
This suggestion has also been put forward by the Wrocław branch of Wody Polskie
Kaczmarek admitted to TVN24 that “the scale of the pollution also suggests other causes that we have not yet discovered.” He added that the inspectorate had also flown a drone over the area in an attempt to locate the source
According to local media reports quoted in OKO,press
other sources of pollution under consideration include wastewater from a local piggery
or a leak from the sewage treatment plant in Odolanów
saying that the plant was “modern” and had “no way to pollute the river.” He also encouraged residents and farmers to collect their piles of manure from fields
The pollution in the Barycz River follows another major environmental disaster in Poland last year
the Czajka sewage treatment plant in Warsaw malfunctioned
sending thousands of litres of sewage into the Vistula
A technical failure at a sewage facility in Warsaw has resulted in 3 cubic metres per second of raw sewage currently flowing into the Vistula River. Drinking water in the city, which comes from upstream, isn't affected but it could be in places downstream https://t.co/m3qiiUOdXI
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) August 28, 2019
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252 foreigners studied on a permanent basis at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (128 Ukrainians
Within the Erasmus+ program another 196 students spent one or two semesters here
All foreign students coming to UPWr are taken care of by the University branch of the international Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organization
each foreigner has a Polish student assisting them if someone wants to
arrange something – or they are a kind of “connection” with the Polish reality
we organize actions which help foreigners to get to know Wrocław
integrate and often do something good in the process – says Joanna Śmiech from ESN
University of Economics and University of Technology
planted one thousand pines in a nursery of the Milicz Forestry Area
– That was my first experience planting anything
which was the same with most of the people here but it turned out not to be really difficult
Plus we had a lot of fun – says Çigdem Esmertaş
who came to UPWr from the capital of Turkey – Ankara
– I had a choice between going to Poland and Lithuania
I didn’t really want to live in Warsaw and I’m very glad that I chose Wrocław
Especially the combination of typical urban areas with parks
- The best thing was that we planted our piece of the forest near some trees put in two years ago by another group of foreign students so there is a real Erasmus Forest growing now
Maybe in a few years some of these people will come back to Poland
see the forest planted with their own hands and recall the fantastic time they spent here – adds Joanna Śmiech
ESN and the student self-government of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science organized the Polish Dinner – a typical Polish feast in one of the Faculty labs which is particularly suitable for such an event
– We would like to increase internationalism in our Faculty
Improve cooperation and relations between us – Polish students
foreign students and University authorities
Erasmus students are usually a closed group and we want to show them that we’re there
that they can always come up to us and ask something and we’ll gladly help
And we also want to encourage Polish students to meet people of different cultures
convince them to visit other countries themselves
And as cooking and eating together aids integration like nothing else and we happen to have a lab in the form of a fantastically equipped kitchen which can accommodate a good crowd
we decided to show the Erasmus students our Polish cuisine – explains Julita Drzyzga
there was bread (baked at the University) with lard and pickled cucumbers
herring with onion and the main course – groats with goulash and raw salads like sour cabbage
pierogi and yeast cake with fruit and crumble which was an absolute hit
Everyone contributed to making the dishes and what the students did not manage to eat (despite their enthusiastic efforts)
they passed on – partly to the fridge of the Wrocław FoodSharing in the Arka dormitory and partly to the St
Anthony’s parish which runs a soup kitchen – The Charity Kitchen
ESN helps foreign students and makes their stay more attractive but also attempts to show Polish students that a trip to other countries within
the Erasmus+ programme may be their adventure of a lifetime
Last year 111 UPWr students decided to complete part of their studies abroad choosing mostly Universities in Spain
The UPWr students may travel thanks to 124 bilateral agreements made with other European Universities
encourages others to go: - It’s a fantastic experience and what’s more
you’re supported financially by the University
You can go practically to any country in Europe and subject courses you complete there are accepted by the UPWr grading system
you learn to cope with various strange situations
You know that you must rely only on yourself and you just have to manage
You meet great people from all over the world
different way of life and thinking – says Joanna and laughs that although she was finally defeated by Spanish language and had to repeat the year after she came back to Poland
Julita is planning her journey for the last year of studies.: - That’s why I’m with ESN – to get to know customs of students from different corners
I study biotechnology and I will probably choose some “technological” country like Germany or Switzerland
Both the University authorities and the authorities of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science participated in planting trees and cooking the Polish Dinner.Both students also encourage others not resign because of their fear of English
– I have an impression that Polish people are embarrassed to speak English
afraid that their English isn’t perfect and that they may make mistakes
people from other countries don’t speak perfect English either
nothing improves your language skills like living with it using it daily
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences25 Norwida St
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The Milicz Association of Friends of Children and People with Disabilities has been operating for over 22 years
the newly opened therapeutic facility for the youngest patients was visited by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
The Head of the Polish Government recalled that the amendment to the Budget Act for 2021 will result in an additional PLN 800 million for the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (PFRON)
The government has adopted an amendment to the Budget Act for 2021
provides for the transfer of over PLN 800 million to the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
This money will be used to help people with disabilities
The more considerable funds will make even earlier diagnosis
we allocated over PLN 800 million to support persons with disabilities through the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons for all activities that can help at least a little the disadvantaged
sensitivity and goodwill – this is what solidarity is all about – stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
The Milicz Association of Friends of Children and People with Disabilities is a thriving organisation employing over 200 people
The organisation’s operations are aimed mainly at the youngest patients
The new facility provides an opportunity for diagnosis and various therapies with the use of modern equipment
The Capitol Centre will significantly improve the quality of diagnostics for children with autism
– The Capitol can be a showcase
People from the West can learn from us how to take care of persons with disabilities
doctors and all the people who work in such facilities
Thank you to all the wonderful Poles involved in helping persons with disabilities – said Mateusz Morawiecki
Thanks to the Association’s operations
the town of Milicz has become more friendly to people with disabilities
The Association has changed the perception of a disabled person in the local community and has also contributed to changes in municipal institutions
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The death has occurred of Jacek Daniel Kozica, Ardnaffrin, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon and formerly of Milicz, Poland on 25th May 2024, unexpectedly at home.
Sadly missed by his mother Feliksa, sister Zuzanna, brother Krzysztof, niece Karolina, nephew Bartosz, cousins, relatives and friends.
Jacek is fondly remembered by his friends Helio, Trisha, Ashley, Eric, Dermot and his Irish family, Pádraig, Anne, Paddy, Éadaoin and Fiachra Doyle, Ardnaffrin.
A Funeral Mass in celebration of Jacek’s life will take place in Sacred Heart Church, Jamestown (N41 FP82), on Wednesday 5th June at 11.30am.
Messages of condolence for Jacek’s family my be left by clicking on the condolence link below.
Śmierć Jacka Daniela Kozicy, Ardnaffrin, Kilmore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon, a wcześniej Milicza, Polska, nastąpiła 25 maja 2024 r., niespodziewanie w domu.
Bardzo tęskni za mamą Feliksa, siostrą Zuzanną, bratem Krzysztofem, siostrzenicą Karoliną, siostrzeńcem Bartoszem, kuzynami, bliskimi i przyjaciółmi. Jacek jest ciepło wspominany przez swoich przyjaciół Helio, Trishę, Ashley, Erica, Dermota i jego irlandzką rodzinę, Pádraiga, Anne, Paddy, Éadaoin i Fiachrę Doyle z Jamestown.
Msza pogrzebowa w intencji życia Jacka odbędzie się w kościele Sacred Heart Church w Jamestown (N41 FP82) w środę 5 czerwca o godzinie 11:30. Przesłanie kondolencji dla rodziny Jacka można zostawić klikając w poniższy link z kondolencjami.
memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one