Make trash, make money – Waste treatment is a worldwide business, which has also been passing through the Sobrado landfill in Valongo. It is a business in which the one who imports garbage, generates profit. However, it leaves the population in despair and powerless in facing the inability to cope with the progress of the Sobrado landfill and its economic interests.
The Sobrado landfill is one of the 11 Portuguese landfills that receives waste from other countries. Nevertheless, this one has stood out negatively, as local population and many associations complain about the smell and the devastating consequences it may have for their health. Marisol Marques, the spokesperson for the Environmental Association and habitants of Valongo, says that “Living near a landfill is something that is unacceptable, this has never crossed my mind“.
Trucks loaded with trash coming to the Sobrado Landfill(photo courtesy by AJP)
This situation appeared in several television news in Europe and in Reuters. Marisol relates this to the lack of awareness by the Portuguese Government stating that “if it wasn’t for the controversy and the Sobrado landfill and the fact that we were in Reuters news, opening the news in Poland and Finland, this problem wouldn’t have been published in Portugal, it would still be at the rate of 9.90 and the Portuguese would not know that we receive waste“.
The logic behind exporting waste promotes the European goals for the environmental footprint of each exporting country. In 2019, the value per cubic meter of waste for disposal in the Valongo landfill amounted to 9.90 euros which has recently rose to 22 euros. Being critical of it, Marisol thinks that the price “is not ideal and it should be preferably higher”, taking into account the average price of 80 to 100 euros. This was the call for the export of waste to countries with lower treatment rates, such as Portugal, as desirable and very profitable. It is a reality in which richer countries export waste from their development and for the well–being of their populations .
After a public debate, the licence was again approved to Recivalongo, although the municipality confronted it. Nevertheless, the constant complaints of the local population, as well as of the Valongo City Council regarding the repeated illegal discharges in the Vilar stream, continued. They have been pointing out an episode in which a discharge exceeded 300% of the value permitted by law, where Recivalongo was fined EUR 44,000.
This activity is legal and it is a fact that we all produce waste that has to be dealt with, but sending it to other countries does not diminish our responsibility of resolving this problem.
Waste treatment-the dark side of Kotor – Kotor, a UNESCO heritage site, faces a huge environmental issue of uncontrolled landfills and dumpsites, especially during the construction season. About thirty illegal dumpsites have been registered in the area of the Kotor municipality. Once a sanitary landfill, Lovanja is today a dark side of Kotor.
Illegal Landfill in Kotor municipality (photo by: Boka News)
During the summer season, irresponsible citizens throw garbage all around the Old Town, by the containers, sea and roads. The city dumpsites are unprotected, uncontrolled, not meeting any of the environmental requirements. The workers collect and take away the garbage several times a day, but, by the end of the day, there is a new dump at the same place.
What should be done? What is urgently needed is the sanitation of the wild dumpsites, increased control and raising the awareness of the local people. In addition, rigorous measures should be taken against irresponsible citizens.
At the local landfill of Lovanja, there is a recycling centre, as well as a composting plant, the only one in Montenegro. Nevertheless, the lack of garbage landfills, as well as those for sanitary, bulky and construction material imposes the use of costly transportation from Kotor to the regional landfill in Bar. The fact that the collection and transport of one ton of garbage amounts to € 35, and that nearly 12,000 tons of garbage is removed from Kotor yearly (4 trucks a day), clearly calls for a new modern landfill for Kotor.
Regional sanitary landfill of “Možura“, Bar ( photo by Ul.Info)
Concerning the regional sanitary landfill of “Možura“, Mr. Zoran Pajović, the Manager, informs that it covers the area of 135 hectars with the designed capacity of 1.056.036 m³ and four landfill cells. Thus far, over 500,000 tons of waste have been landfilled (including that from transfer station in Kotor). The quantity of the waste is constantly increasing and the total capacity is expected to be full in the next six years, thus the plan is to build a new sanitary cell.
The most important project implemented thus far is the collection and flaring of the produced landfill biogas, as well as leachate treatment. There are also many projects and investments planned for 2020: procurement of crushers for crushing wooden waste, metal, tires…project of composting and greening around the entire landfill area, project for converting the biogas energy into electrical energy, procurement of a system for remote measurements of the air quality.
Studies generally show that the landfill does not endanger any of the environmental parameters and there is no risk of pollution. The Public Utility Company makes profit every year. They point to another important financial issue, arising from the (non-)payment of utility services. This brings us back to the problem of our i.e. civic awareness.
There are progressive ideas, sustainable environmental projects and funding, but again, the pointer comes back to us-how responsible and willing to change for the better we are. We and our friends certainly are, and we hope to give birth to a new generation of more natural and healthier environment, which would certainly anticipate healthier and happier humans as its integral part.
Fontes:
https://mobile-reuters-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN1ZE1G1?amp_js_v=a3&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15900831085129&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=De%20%251%24s
https://eco-sapo-pt.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/eco.sapo.pt/2018/08/07/quantos-quilos-de-lixo-produz-um-portugues-por-dia/amp/?usqp=mq331AQQKAGYAdyFztztr63qDLABIA%3D%3D&_js_v=a2&_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Feco.sapo.pt%2F2018%2F08%2F07%2Fquantos-quilos-de-lixo-produz-um-portugues-por-dia%2F
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