Brits and locals march against bio-waste plant on Spain’s Costa Blanca – but why are they against the project?

UP to a thousand residents marched in Los Montesinos on Tuesday to protest against the council deciding to house a regional biowaste recycling plant.

Locals were angry about the lack of consultation before a deal was struck and approved by the town’s mayor Jose Manuel Butron.

An agreement was made after months of secret talks with the Vega Baja Sustainable Consortium before being approved by the council that the PSOE’s Butron has controlled since its formation in 1991.

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Opponents are concerned about smells coming from the facility which would be located on the town’s Levante industrial estate as well as lorries bringing in rubbish to be recycled from around the Vega Baja.

Tuesday’s march was the largest seen in the 5,000 population municipality since the days of it trying to gain its individual status from Almoradi, which it achieved in 1990.

Protestors chanted against the mayor, who was away on holiday, during the kilometre-long walk from the industrial estate to the town hall.

The biowaste plant would treat household and hospitality food waste which would be converted into organic fertiliser.

Land covering 3,500 m2 has been allocated on the industrial estate for the facility which would cost €4 million to build.

The Vega Baja Sustainable Consortium says it will have a minimal environmental impact.

The plant would recycle 4,400 tonnes of waste per year with Los Montesinos council getting a €3 payment per tonne of waste plus an annual €22,500 fee for ‘environmental improvements’.

Residents say the 4,500 tonne figure is conservative as the Vega Baja region generates over 100,000 tonnes of waste per annum.