WRITTEN QUESTION No. 848/98 by Antoni GUTIÉRREZ DÍAZ to the Commission. Municipal solid waste in Formentera (Spain)
Date: 1998-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, GUTIERREZ DIAZ
Subjects: Balearic Islands, EU financing, domestic waste, environmental protection, marine pollution, prevention of pollution, protection of animals, protection of plant life, waste disposal

22.12.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 402/39

(98/C 402/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0848/98

by Antoni GutiØrrez D(cid:237)az (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 March 1998)

Subject: Municipal solid waste in Formentera (Spain)

At Cap de Barbaria on the island of Formentera (Balearics, Spain), a municipal solid waste tip has been located on
an escarpment between two streams. The tip is currently the object of legal proceedings brought by the
environmental offences section of the High Court of the Balearics on grounds of delays in obtaining legal
authorization for the site. In addition, local inhabitants are bringing administrative proceedings in an effort to
expose the illegality of the installation and the serious environmental problem posed by its location and the way it
is managed.

The problem is affecting the whole island. The tip is constantly burning, giving off dioxins which cause pollution
to humans, animals and plants. In addition the Mediterranean is also being polluted. The site is not waterproofed
and there is no system for the collection of leachate which, because of the location of the site on a slope leading
down to the sea, all goes into the water. There is also the danger that an avalanche might occur in future, with the
disastrous environmental effects that would entail.

Financial aid from the Community is vital in order to resolve the problem of municipal solid waste on this small
island, although it is doubtful if this will involve retaining the existing installation, which is a source of pollution.

Given the possibility that the Government of the Autonomous Community of the Balearics may allocate funds
obtained from the Community to this tip, will the Commission say:

1. whether it is aware of the existence of this installation?

2.

if so, whether it is aware of the legal proceedings in progress?

3. whether it has allocated funds under any programme to finance the processing of municipal solid waste in

Formentera?

4.

if so, whether this aid is being used to maintain the existing installation?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(26 May 1998)

The Commission was not aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member. It will make the requisite
contacts to gather full details of the matter and to ensure that all relevant Directives are being fully complied with.

Environmental interventions are funded under the Balearic 5b operational programme by the European Regional
Development Fund (actions 2-5 in favour of rural centres). However, no such intervention has been recorded for
Formentera, except for study appropriations shared by Formentera and Ibiza and earmarked for the production of
plot plans (PTA 0.7 million, or ECU 4 250) and land use plans (PTA 1.3 million, or ECU 7 800). The Commission
would also point out that the question posed by the Honourable Member has never been raised in the 5b
monitoring committee.

(98/C 402/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0892/98

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(26 March 1998)

Subject: Aid for Bosnia

The European Parliament(cid:146)s ad-hoc delegation led by Tom Spencer, has revealed that the Commission(cid:146)s
distribution of aid for reconstruction in Bosnia, amounting to ECU 408 million, is wholly inefficient and
uncoordinated. The delegation(cid:146)s leader has referred to the EU(cid:146)s (cid:145)inappropriate and inefficient bureaucratic
procedures.(cid:146)