Serious chemical pollution of the Huelva wetlands (Spain)

The Committee on Petitions went on a fact-finding mission to Huelva, Spain, to investigate evidence of the heavy pollution of the area following the depositing there over the past 50 years of an estimated 125 million tonnes of toxic and hazardous waste from an old fertiliser plant.

The Huelva wetlands are a very sensitive ecosystem, and the pollution has had a serious impact on its soil and water.

The Greens believe the precautionary principle applies and that public health should be put before any considerations of economic interest.

Our main goals were to highlight the emergency and its associated risks and to push for the implementation of a decontamination plan.

We managed to ensure that the precautionary principle was incorporated into the text, along with permanent monitoring of future activities and their environmental impact.

We also successfully underlined the urgency of decontaminating the area, based on the polluter pays principle.