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Director of isotope factory at Csillebérc (12th district of Budapest, Hungary, Budai forests, nature reserve area) reported and confessed that Iodine-131 isotope leaked for months and escaped to the open air in higher amounts than allowed, from the chimney of the Csillebérc factory.
Beginning this year they recognised the escaping Iodine-131 but vainly the factory replaced the filter equipments during this summer, Iodine-131 just escaped through the chimney in higher measures as allowed during last months. Therefore they stopped production.
During the past weeks in Budapest’s atmosphere and nearby stations measured increased Iodine-131 and radiation levels which were presumably due to the leakage Iodine-131 from the Csilleberc isope factory.
Iodine-131 is mainly used as contrast agent in medical examinations (Thyroid), in EU produced only at a few places: Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, France and Hungary.
As per the Hungarian producer expressed, it might be that they are source of part of the Iodine-131 pollution measured recently in CEEU and Budapest but their factory can not be the only source of the observed increased radioactive Iodine isotope levels in the European atmosphere.
Related articles
- Mysterious Radioactive Radiation above CEEU: unusual level of Iodine-132 isotope particles found in Europe (europeancitizen.org)
- Radioactive particles ‘in Europe’ (bbc.co.uk)
europeancitizen.org 
My kids go to schools in 12 district. Does it mean their health is in danger? Or does everyone who lives in Budapest now is exposed to high levels of iodine-131?
Posted by Tatiana S | January 12, 2012, 12:05 PMDear MS. Tatiana,
Do not worry. It is over, happened monthes ago. Since that time they were seriousely inspected by the local authorities and the plant applied new filter and sensoring systems. So hopefull it will not happen again.
B. rgrds, LK
Posted by Laszlo Keki | January 13, 2012, 1:55 PM