Residents fight plans for biowaste recycling plant after zero consultation by town mayor on Spain’s Costa Blanca

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https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/10/17/alicante-sees-high-end-property-prices-surge-as-buyers-flock-to-the-costa-blanca/

A PROTEST has been called for next week against a regional biowaste recycling plant which Los Montesinos council has agreed to take on.

Some residents are worried about the lack of any public consultation and foul odours once the facility goes on line.  

The platform fighting the project admits that ‘garbage is a problem’ but was surprised that Los Montesinos offered itself up to become home to the facility which will serve the Vega Baja region.

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“We don’t understand this decision and we are having to make some noise because we oppose the plant,” it said.

“No matter what anybody says, there will be smells,” they added, with protest banners appearing around the town in the last week.

Next Tuesday’s demonstration starts at 6pm from the entrance of the industrial estate- where the plant will be sited- though to the Town Hall. 

Anger has been directed at the mayor Jose Manual Butron, who has been in power since 2001.

He’s been criticised for doing a deal with the Vega Baja Sustainable Consortium before getting reactions from residents or even raising the matter within the council.

Last Thursday’s plenary council meeting lasted just 20 minutes with the PSOE majority backing Butron, while the Partido Popular’s Maria Pilar Paredes was the only person voting against.

The mayor’s deal has seen the council give 3,585m2 of land on the Levante II industrial estate to the Consortium. 

It will recycle organic waste, mainly food, into compost with the Consortium referring to 4,400 tonnes per year.

Los Montesinos will get €22,500 annually to ‘improve its environment’ plus a payment of €3 per tonne of waste that arrives at the plant.