It was on Wednesday that the newspaper Expressen revealed that a subcontractor to the company uRecycle in Karlskoga has dumped tons of so-called "black pulp" on arable land in Kumla. To SVT News Örebro, the environmental manager in the municipality confirms the incident.

- We have tested material, we have found exceptionally high levels of metals in this test and it is of course very serious that it has ended up in nature, says Åsa Pettersson, environmental manager at Kumla Municipality.

Ingredients in alkaline batteries

The black pulp is one of the constituents of alkaline batteries and the Karlskoga company recycles 70 percent of the batteries that are left for recycling in Sweden. The company states to Expressen that it is one of their subcontractors who must have dumped the waste on the field.

For the sake of secrecy, the municipality does not want to state where the land in question is located, but at the same time urges people not to stay on site.

- Our focus is that we should try to get this area cleaned up as soon as possible and first and foremost the person (s) responsible for getting it there pay for that cleanup.

How urgent is it to clean up?

- I can't answer that situation. After all, there are very, very high levels of pollution, so it is clear that our focus is that it should go as fast as possible.

The advice to move around the area

What is the message to the public who is worried about the event?

- You should not move in the area, we advise against this. Otherwise, we try to investigate what the risks in the immediate area look like.

- It is a confined area and no area where the public moves in ordinary cases. It is on private land and it is an area that this property owner has used, says Åsa Pettersson.

SVT is looking for the company uRecycle for a comment