Waste plant works underway
WORK has now begun to build a waste transfer plant in Dolores so that rubbish from the Vega Baja area can be compacted and transported more efficiently to treatment plants, since there are none in the local area.
The project has been modified to increase its capacity to between 125,000 and 150,000 tonnes, and to comply with EU waste treatment legislation.
The facility, which will be located in a warehouse measuring 685.5 square metres, has a budget of approximately € 3 million.
Regional director general for climate change, Joan Piquer expressed his total support for the construction of the plant.
“We want a significant part of the reconstruction funds to be for the Vega Baja to get all the necessary installations up and running,” he said, noting that it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and meet parameters for the circular economy and management of resources.
President of the Vega Baja waste management consortium, Bigastro mayoress Teresa Belmonte admitted that this area is ‘ a bit late dealing with European requirements to deal with its own waste’.
She noted that the facility is ‘ a transitory solution’ until the Vega Baja can get its own treatment plants in line with new regional legislation.
Sra Belmonte assured they are making progress, despite the ongoing legal action over a previous contract to build a treatment plant which would not have met with the new waste plan’s requirements for locations and technology.
That contract ended up being scrutinised by police as part of the sprawling Brugal corruption investigation, in which ex- provincial government
president José Joaquín Ripoll is amongst the accused.
Sra Belmonte claimed that precisely because it has been left so late the area will end up with better facilities, which should be ready in seven months.
The plant is also necessary because residents of the Vega Baja are paying higher waste management fees than those in other areas, pointed out provincial deputy for the environment Miguel Sánchez.
“The provincial government is working on other ways to reduce the cost of this service for residents of the area,” he noted.
Mayor of Dolores Joaquín Hernández called it a ‘ great opportunity’ for residents of the municipality, as it will create direct and indirect jobs, as well as being an infrastructure that will benefit the whole Vega Baja.
“Sooner or later all municipalities will have to adapt to the new rules that are designed to make waste management responsible and respectful of the environment in the future,” he added.