An industrial incident at the EcoPro BM Hungary Zrt. plant in Debrecen has triggered public concern and conflicting interpretations, as environmental groups raised alarms while the company provided a detailed technical explanation of the event.
The Mikepércsi Anyák a Környezetért Egyesület (MIAKÖ) earlier reported that a technical failure may have occurred in the early hours of May 5 at the company’s cathode material facility, which is operating in trial mode. According to the group, a mixer seal malfunction around 3 a.m. could have released an unknown quantity of cathode active material, which they described as “black powder” containing cobalt, nickel and manganese. The organization raised concerns about potential health and environmental risks, the adequacy of protective measures, and the transparency of communication surrounding the incident. They also submitted public interest reports and requested data from relevant authorities.
In a separate and more detailed statement, EcoPro clarified the nature of the event, describing it as a technological incident that occurred between 11:40 p.m. on May 4 and 12:30 a.m. on May 5 in its NCA1 production building, classified as a facility handling hazardous materials.
According to the company, the incident was caused by the displacement of a pipe connection in one of the production units, resulting in the release of 22.6 kilograms of semi-finished NCA (lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide) material within the building, near the production equipment. EcoPro stressed that the material remained contained inside the facility and did not reach the external environment.
The company stated that production was immediately halted, and cleanup operations began without delay using industrial vacuum equipment and mandatory protective gear. The affected component was replaced with a reinforced version following technical inspection. Production resumed only after full inspection and validation procedures were completed. A broader review of similar equipment has also been launched to prevent recurrence.
EcoPro emphasized that no injuries occurred and that the incident had no off-site impact, affecting only a limited, isolated area within the facility.
The company also rejected claims circulating online that it said were inaccurate or misleading, arguing that separate administrative procedures had been incorrectly conflated and that ongoing permitting processes were still under review. It warned that speculation and misinterpretation of official procedures could undermine public trust in regulatory processes.
As of now, no official findings from authorities regarding the May 5 event have been released, and the debate over the incident continues.
