Industrial safety risks in the Hungarian battery industry and related communication

Author: Andrea Éltető

In: HUN-REN CERS, Institute of World Economics, Working Paper Nr. 278 (2024) November 2024

Abstract

The paper discusses the industrial safety risks inside and outside the factories, the government’s information on the issue and the management of NGO activities. Evidence has been presented that South Korean cell factories and recyclers have committed systematic and recurrent irregularities in Hungary over the past years, leading to worker hazards and accidents. The authorities have been powerless to deal with these effectively. Profit interests of the factories often override health and safety concerns. The risks to industrial safety will continue to increase even under normal operating conditions with the mass influx of Chinese battery factories. Instead of being correctly informed about this, the public receives a central propaganda that uses all the tools of greenwashing, while the authorities try to restrict concerned citizens’ groups by various means.