After an analysis concluded that the poor water quality in the Onda River was linked to discharges from Lactogal, the company expressed regret over the situation and pointed to technical and regulatory barriers in waste management.
However, APA stated in a release that “contrary to claims by Lactogal, these waste materials are not included in the Green List” as per the European regulation, which would allow their movement between member states without a notification procedure.
“The Spanish recipient of the waste, Agroamb Prodalt SL, acknowledged in early July that the waste is indeed listed under the orange list and subsequently requested formal instructions from APA to comply with the notification procedure,” the agency highlighted, adding that this information was conveyed to Lactogal at the end of May.
The agency confirmed its “complete availability to support the process, with a meeting scheduled with Lactogal on July 15 for technical clarification and formal regularization of the situation.”
Furthermore, APA underscored the “severe environmental impacts on the Onda River, resulting from previous discharges of untreated or insufficiently treated effluents. These incidents caused the death of fish, ducks, and other species, completely compromising the aquatic ecosystem’s balance.”
“As a direct consequence, two river beaches were closed, affecting public use of water resources and the quality of life for local populations,” it noted, a history that “evidences the need for stringent monitoring and legal procedures to prevent the recurrence of situations with significant environmental and social impact.”
The preliminary results from an APA analysis, released on Friday, indicated that the “significant alteration” in the quality of the Onda River water is “presumably associated” with discharges from the company Lactogal in Vila do Conde, Porto district.
These discharges in the Onda River had already led APA to advise against bathing from Friday at the beaches of Angeiras Norte in Matosinhos and Labruge in Vila do Conde, both municipalities in Porto district.
Lactogal responded to the news in a statement, expressing regret over the situation and reaffirming its “total commitment to collaborating with the competent authorities for the swift and effective resolution of this occurrence caused by organic waste.”
