Quirky News
Hungary's needy given money to burn
Hungary's central bank is burning old monetary notes to help the needy in Europe's deadly cold snap.
The bank is pulping wads of old notes into briquettes to help heat humanitarian organisations.
Barnabas Ferenczi, head of the bank's cash logistics centre, said: "For the central bank, corporate social responsibility is an important thing.
"That's why we thought that since we destroy approximately 40 or 50 tons of currency every year, this thing can be useful for charities that have a problem finding fuel for burning."
"Our examination showed that the heating properties of these shredded currency briquettes are similar to brown coal so they are pretty useful for heating and resolve the problem to find fuel."
It takes the equivalent of £14,000 in notes to make a single one-kilogram briquette.
The process of turning old cash into briquettes is held under tight security. Workers have to wear pocketless clothes.
what do you think?
Adrian Wagstaff
£14,000 ... per ... brick??? It's strange how the world of economics works. It seems to work like Alice in her Wonderland and yet, to most people, money is a daily matter of life or death. Burning that lot should help reduce Hungarian inflation. Now I think of it, they could build houses out those bricks. It would be strange if they built houses for £1 per brick and each one was worth £14,000? With plenty of non-inflammable chemicals added and damp proofing.
Raymond Castle
A really good idea. now imagine the uproar by our 'honest' politicians if something like it was tried in this country. Pockets need filling up first!
Juls Adams
thats a brillant idea its about time governments and banks done something useful and good for people for a change.our government do something similar its called the eu.9 billion every year up in smoke every year the problem is only a select few at the top beneifet mainly german and french of cause
Juls Adams
14000 per brick.we better get used to it.that will be the price of a house in london in 100years time
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Nitin patil
lol good one Craig, they everywhere, here in India you get them in Abundant.
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Andrew Hogarth
if fuel priceskeep going up in England , it will be cheeper to burn money to stay warm ..! but as always , the fat cat bosses seem to do very well out of all of it..!!
wl_117645765392efa4
are you lot even reading staight? it says used and old notes. ie notes that are out of circulation and cant be used under normal circumstances of trading cant be used. its not costing 14000/brick.
Michael Lawrence
People only read what they want to read. Such is the way the media works.
gypsy56
9:33pm on 10/2/2012
Have a word with Mervyn, he'll happily print shedloads more for you, with Cameron Cleggs full support.