Sciencemadness Discussion Board - On treasure hunt - not lucky this time

On treasure hunt - not lucky this time

Schleimsäure - 2-11-2015 at 06:46

So last weekend me and friends vistited an old chemistry plant from the former GDR, about 100 km's out of Berlin. It went bankrupt in 2002 and pictures/videos of 2013 and 2014 by hobby fotographers showed the main laboratory and other rooms still packed with bottles and glasware. I guessed there were at least 200-500 reagents still to be found- belonging to noone.

or videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I51iKDCN-x4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyVceGw0r90

I already identified bottles of triethanolamine, hydroxylammonium chloride, amyl alcohol. Many from former GDR or Eastern Block suppliers, but also from Merck, Riedel de Haen etc. after 1990. Was really excited to go through and identify all of that, taking what is still good and expensive (while everthing would have been too much load for my car).

What a disapointment on arrival. Apparently they started to sanify the area in spring 2015!!! (found one single info on that afterwards). Just 9 month too late.
All rooms have been emptied. Just like 40 empty bottles (sulfuric acid, iodine soulution, benzene, toluene etc.) they left in one storage room.
Boy, I was angry.
At least I took some amber bottles with the nice caps of up to 5l.

Will try the nextone at some point, but the more rewarding places are only to be found in Thuringia or Saxony I guess.

ganger631 - 2-11-2015 at 22:11

Wow! What a nice find. At least you didnt leave empty handed. Better luck next time.

Schleimsäure - 3-11-2015 at 15:21

Quote: Originally posted by ganger631

Wow! What a nice find. At least you didnt leave empty handed. Better luck next time.

Thank you. The most disturbing thing is the imagination how they got rid of it in ABC-suits and just destroyed everything.
How much did it cost to produce these chemicals? They are so artificially scared of "chemicals", I have to vomit. And probably donated millions of tax money to get rid of these "evil" substances.

That's how it goes today in EU-dictated Germany.

blogfast25 - 3-11-2015 at 16:25

Quote: Originally posted by Schleimsäure

Boy, I was angry.
At least I took some amber bottles with the nice caps of up to 5l.

Why, what did you expect, that potentially dangerous chemicals should have been left there for all and sundry to pick on? They shouldn't have been left so unattended for so long to begin with.

Quote: Originally posted by Schleimsäure

That's how it goes today in EU-dictated Germany.

Yeah, because Germany doesn't have any rules and regulations re. the use, storage and safe disposal of chemicals of its own, of course.

Listen mouse-brain, do try and engage brain before keyboard in your next post.

[Edited on 4-11-2015 by blogfast25]

Schleimsäure - 3-11-2015 at 16:49

Ah, the Blockwart again! Look up Blockwart in German, its more or less a cuss for someone who is constantly 24/7 watching for anybody "breaking the rules". Haha, took not too long, you're killing me. See: Blockwart mentality.

Otherwise most members here,, like woelen for example, are nice people.

[Edited on 4-11-2015 by Schleimsäure]

zed - 7-11-2015 at 13:17

Mouse-brain?

Tsjerk - 7-11-2015 at 14:05

Maybe Blogfast was a bit harsh, but what did you expect? I perfectly understand you were disappointed, but what should you be mad for, and at who? They can't sell the stuff as no professional would want to buy it, and they won't trow it on the open market for obvious reasons...

Too bad man, you were too late, deal with it.

Besides, it is not like Germany doesn't have a shit load of rules itself, I highly doubt the EU made the pile of rules any stricter for Germany. Anyone I have spoken about it confirms Germany has way to many and to complicated rules, and any foreigner in Germany can tell you about the bureaucracy. Don't blame the EU for this one.

Tsjerk - 7-11-2015 at 14:20

Maybe Blogfast was a bit harsh, but what did you expect? I perfectly understand you were disappointed, but what should you be mad for, and at who? They can't sell the stuff as no professional would want to buy it, and they won't trow it on the open market for obvious reasons...

Too bad man, you were too late, deal with it.

Besides, it is not like Germany doesn't have a shit load of rules itself, I highly doubt the EU made the pile of rules any stricter for Germany. Anyone I have spoken about it confirms Germany has way to many and to complicated rules, and any foreigner in Germany can tell you about the bureaucracy. Don't blame the EU for this one.

Schleimsäure - 8-11-2015 at 16:10

Quote: Originally posted by Tsjerk

Maybe Blogfast was a bit harsh, but what did you expect? I perfectly understand you were disappointed, but what should you be mad for, and at who? They can't sell the stuff as no professional would want to buy it, and they won't trow it on the open market for obvious reasons...

Too bad man, you were too late, deal with it.

Besides, it is not like Germany doesn't have a shit load of rules itself, I highly doubt the EU made the pile of rules any stricter for Germany. Anyone I have spoken about it confirms Germany has way to many and to complicated rules, and any foreigner in Germany can tell you about the bureaucracy. Don't blame the EU for this one.

Yes, I already dealt with it.

Of course the bureaucrats in Germany are no better than in Brussels. They are from the same ilk.

But just think about the EU measures like "R.E.A.C.H.", wanting to prohibit HNO3 over 3% concentration.
You don't know about the press articles you find here in mass about a little flask of picric acid calling in a 10.000 EUR firefighter operation. It’s so ridiculous. Liebig, Mendelev, Bunsen, Lomonossow would turn in their graves upon the sheer MADNESS. That’s why I’m angry. 100 years ago, also in the US, one could buy EVERY reagent he wants to in the drugstore and I don’t think the injuries or even deaths from accidents were high because of that. They are completely MAD or it’s by design. Knowledge in chemistry in Germany, one of the historical most advanced chemistry nations is at an all-time low, because chemicals are labeled “evil” by the "free" press.

Btw a “terrorist” or “drug manufacturer” will get his chemicals anyway.

On the other hand, the GDR had once the second or third biggest chemical industry in the world. They just sold it out after 1990 for a few pennies. For example Leuna, once the biggest chemical plant complex in the world was sold for a “symbolic prices” to foreign companies, much corruption involved, see “Leuna Affäre”.

That’s why my anger was higher than ususal. Nevermind.