Magdeburg court halts encapsulation of mercury waste at Brüchau site pending further review

Background: a decades-old contamination dispute

Contaminated waste has been stored in the Brüchau pit for decades, and the dispute over how to handle it has occupied politics, authorities, and residents for years. Originally, the plan provided for the waste to be excavated from the pit and disposed of externally, a process known in German as the "Auskofferung." The Saxony-Anhalt state parliament (Landtag) unanimously voted in 2020 in favor of this excavation and external disposal.

However, in August 2025, the LAGB issued a decision that allowed the mercury-containing waste to remain in the pit and be permanently secured in place. The move surprised residents and environmental groups, who had expected the previously agreed excavation to proceed. According to reporting by MDR Sachsen-Anhalt, the State Mining Authority (Landesbergamt) approved the encapsulation in the same month.

Why the court ruled in BUND's favor

BUND Sachsen-Anhalt filed a lawsuit against the August 2025 decision, arguing that the course change from excavation to encapsulation should not have occurred without an environmental impact assessment and public participation. The court granted the group's urgent application, halting the planned encapsulation in the meantime. "Das Verwaltungsgericht Magdeburg bestätigte, gab es in einem Eilverfahren dem Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) recht," MDR reported.

Meyer said the court confirmed BUND's view that the change of course should not have happened without proper environmental review. "Das Gericht habe die Auffassung des BUND bestätigt, dass der Kurswechsel von der geplanten Auskofferung zur Einkapselung der Abfälle nicht ohne Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung und Beteiligung der Öffentlichkeit hätte erfolgen dürfen," Meyer explained.

The BUND cited the need to avoid further delays and possible damage to groundwater as a central reason for its legal action. "Es gehe darum, weitere Verzögerungen und mögliche Schäden für das Grundwasser zu vermeiden," the group said. Meyer added that excavating the waste is the best way to avoid prolonged court proceedings: "Die Auskofferung der Abfälle sei der beste Weg, um weitere Verzögerungen und mögliche Belastungen des Grundwassers durch langwierige Gerichtsverfahren zu vermeiden."

What happens next

Following the ruling, BUND demanded a return to the original remediation plans. "Nach der Gerichtsentscheidung forderte der BUND eine Rückkehr zu den ursprünglichen Sanierungsplänen," MDR reported. The remediation of Brüchau is now on hold: "Damit liegt die Sanierung vorerst auf Eis."

It remains open whether the LAGB or the operating company Neptune will challenge the decision through legal remedies. "Zudem ist offen, ob das LAGB oder die Betreiberfirma Neptune gegen den Beschluss vorgehen werden." A final ruling on whether the encapsulation permit is lawful must still be decided in the main proceedings, known in German as the Hauptsacheverfahren.

The court confirmed the decision to MDR Sachsen-Anhalt, which had previously reported on the case before the ruling. "Das bestätigte das Gericht MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT." For years, residents and environmental associations in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel have demanded that the contaminated waste be removed from the pit and disposed of externally, and the court's intervention has given that demand new momentum.

The article was reported by Michael Rosebrock and Tatiana Gropius for MDR.