On Tenerife, environmental activists are sounding the alarm about the improper closure of a landfill.
The Island Environmental Complex in Tenerife has been found to have improperly closed a landfill, posing a threat to the environment, human health, and worker safety due to the lack of proper compaction and covering of the waste.
At the Island Environmental Complex, near the Cantos Blancos del Sur quarry and agricultural land, a landfill is being closed "incorrectly." Representatives of Arico Somos Todos say that it is visible to the naked eye: the garbage simply lies in piles, it is not compacted or covered with earth. The landfill is growing as it pleases, and no one is controlling it.
José Luis Ervella from AST explains that this "not only harms the environment and people's health, but is also dangerous for workers." He adds that if a fire or other disaster occurs, it will be difficult to get to the scene due to the unstable ground, which is poorly fortified.
Two representatives of Arico Somos Todos met with employees of the company that manages the landfill. They inspected the area and say they saw "poor and negligent management of the landfill."
Another problem is that out of the three garbage compactors, "the two largest have not been working for several months, and only one, smaller and weaker one remains." AST considers this to be a "serious technical problem" that prevents proper waste disposal. "The garbage is lying in the open air, increasing the risk of pollution and worsening the lives of residents of the Arico coast," referring to San Miguel de Tajao, Las Arenas, La Caleta, Las Maretas and others.
Arico Somos Todos publicly asks "the responsible authorities in the Cabildo de Tenerife" to take control of the situation as the owner of the facility. They also appeal to the company that manages the landfill with a demand to "immediately correct the situation." "It is important to ensure compliance with safety, environmental protection and labor protection rules at a facility that requires special control and responsibility," concludes José Luis Ervella.