Verdict for cruelty to animals Zurich woman dumps chlorine into pond - and triggers eco-tragedy
A Zurich woman caused an ecological fiasco by using chlorine in her swimming pond. The consequences were devastating for the local wildlife.
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- In the Zurich municipality of Uetikon am See, a woman has been convicted of negligent cruelty to animals, among other things.
- She had emptied her natural pond, which she had previously treated with a chlorine-based agent.
- As a result, dozens of fish died in the Mühlebach stream.
A woman from Uetikon am See ZH caused an environmental disaster by using chlorine in her swimming pond. She used half a kilo of the cleaning agent "Planet Pool" in her natural pond every month. When she drained the water, a serious accident occurred, as reported by the "Zürichsee Zeitung" newspaper.
The woman had purchased the cleaning agent from a DIY and hobby store, assuming that it could be used for her pond. However, the chlorine granulate, which is intended for swimming pools, was unsuitable for the near-natural swimming pond. One month after the last application, she emptied the pond as the water had turned green and algae was growing. She assumed that the chlorine was no longer effective.
In fact, however, the chlorine content in the water was still extremely high - 75 times higher than in public swimming pools and 260 times higher than the permitted level in watercourses.
Devastating effects on the environment
The water entered the Scheidbach via the sewage shaft and continued into the Mülibach, where it killed 69 fish over a stretch of 1250 meters.
The public prosecutor's office convicted the woman of negligent violation of the Water Protection Act, negligent cruelty to animals and negligent violation of the Chemicals Act. She received a conditional fine of 35 daily rates of CHF 120 each and a fine of CHF 500. She must also pay the legal costs of CHF 1,700.
The editor wrote this article with the help of KI.
