A Blacker Forest

According to an article in Bangkok's The Nation newspaper this week, a Thai Airways plane flying from Zurich to Bangkok experienced a "technical problem with its air pressure data system" shortly after takeoff, forcing the pilot to return to the Zurich Airport. Before doing so, however, the Thai pilot - acting on advice from officials at Zurich Airport - dumped 45 tons of fuel over the Black Forest in Southwest Germany. The newspaper article claimed that "the fuel dumping presented no danger to people or the environment."

After reading that statement I was incredulous. Spreading 45 tons of fuel over a forest presents no danger to the environment? Are readers supposed to blindly accept such declarations (like believing what your government tells you?) and turn the page? Are these people graduates from the George W. Bush School of Destructive Environmental Studies or what? How can they be certain that dumping such an insanely large quantity of jet fuel over a forest is not going to harm animals, trees, the water supply, or perhaps even someone camping in the area? Regardless of the need to lessen the plane's weight before landing, such a callous disregard for the environment is very disturbing.