Setúbal questions inspection of effluent discharges

Setúbal City Council questioned the Portuguese Environment Agency and the Alentejo Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR) this Wednesday about the inspection of the Vendas Novas company responsible for the effluents discharged in Poçoilos, the municipality announced.

“In letters signed by the Vice-President of the Chamber, Carla Guerreiro, and sent to the presidents of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado, and of the CCDR Alentejo, António José Ceia da Silva, the municipality recalls that, from what is known, the effluents discharged illegally and irregularly on land located on Rua da Capela, in Poçoilos, originate from the company MIPEOILS — Oils 4 the Future, Lda, in Vendas Novas”, in the district of Évora , reads a statement from the Setúbal City Council.

"The municipality also recalls that these irregular waste management operations represent an environmentally dangerous and illegal activity and that the company responsible for the discharges has already been notified by the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Coordination and Development Commission to suspend any activity on the land in question, after several steps with the competent authorities," the statement added.

The Sadina municipality also highlights that the “company continues the irregular discharge activity in Poçoilos, even after having been notified by CCDR Lisboa e Vale do Tejo to suspend the activity” and considers that there are indications that the water is not being treated at the Vendas Novas industrial unit .

Given the seriousness of the situation, Setúbal City Council also asks APA and CCDR Alentejo for “clarifications and information regarding the verification, monitoring and inspection that the two entities carried out in order to urgently resolve the situation in the municipality of Setúbal as a result of the company operating in Vendas Novas”.

Residents in the Poçoilos area affected by waste discharges in that area of ​​Setúbal submitted a petition to the Attorney General's Office and the Public Prosecutor's Office requesting the disclosure of the results of the laboratory analyses and investigations carried out by the GNR .

The petition, with 1,417 signatures , was also sent to the APA, the General Inspectorate of Agriculture, Sea, Environment and Spatial Planning (IGAMAOT), the CCDR Lisbon and Tagus Valley (CCDRVLT) and the Setúbal City Council.