33 fires broke out over three years at an illegal landfill in Kamieniec near Lębork (Pomeranian Voivodeship). It is estimated that there are 60,000 tons of waste there. The cost of their removal is PLN 40 million, and the commune does not have such money. Last year, a fine of over PLN 1 million was imposed on a textile storage company.
There are 60,000 tons of textile waste in an illegal landfill in Kamieniec (Pomeranian Voivodeship). In three years, clothing heaps burned 33 times. According to TVN24 reporter Adam Krajewski, each time the fire extinguishing operation lasted several days.
The last fire was extinguished from October 31 to November 6. 465 firefighters took part in the operation. The costs of extinguishing the landfill fall mainly on the Cewice commune.
Fires broke out at the illegal landfill 33 times in three yearsTVN24
Mayor: I don’t know what to do next
– This is a great threat, I have been repeating it for years, if all these heaps catch fire, no one will be able to put it out. There are stretches of forest nearby, farm buildings around the landfill, military units three kilometers away – this is a really huge threat – said Jerzy Bańka, the mayor of the Cewice commune. He added: – The cost of waste removal is PLN 40 million, the current commune budget is PLN 70,000. If the commune covers these costs, it will have to incur debt or become insolvent. I don’t know what to do next. I took advantage of all the opportunities.
Fires broke out at the illegal landfill 33 times in three yearsTVN24
The investor should clean up the waste, but he has no assets
Last year, a fine of over PLN 1 million was imposed on a textile storage company.
In July, the mayor of the Cewie commune issued an enforcement order ordering the owner of the landfill to remove the waste and sent it to the tax office. He received a reply that enforcement was ineffective because the company had no assets. Now, through the Pomeranian Voivode, he will apply to the Prime Minister for financing the waste removal. However, he does not expect a response because he has not received one for any letter on this matter for three years. The Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection in Gdańsk assures that it has already done everything in this matter and points out that, according to the Waste Act, the obligation to remove them rests with the local government.
There are 60,000 tons of textile waste in an illegal landfillTVN24
The prosecutor’s office is also dealing with the case. Arson is probably the cause of several fires in Kamieniec. In the case of the last fire, the prosecutor is waiting for the police to send documentation. The investigation is expected to be completed later this year, but will likely be extended.
Main photo source: TVN24