The Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard in Lanzarote has proceeded to administratively denounce a company for the "uncontrolled spill" of approximately 100 liters of water mixed with vegetable oil and degreaser. That substance was spilled last Sunday on the coast of Las Caletas, in the municipality of Teguise.
The Civil Guard's action began after receiving a notice from a citizen, who informed the agents of a stain of "what appeared to be some type of chemical element on the coast", explains the Benemérita. Seprona agents traveled there and were able to verify that the spill "originated at the headquarters of a nearby factory."
The Seprona contacted the company officials and informed them of the complaint for violation of the Law on Waste in the Canary Islands, "for the prohibition and prevention of uncontrolled dumping", explains the Civil Guard. That complaint will now be sent to the Agency for the Protection of the Urban and Natural Environment of the Government of the Canary Islands for sanction.
In its statement, the Benemérita emphasizes that, "based on the aforementioned legislation, and more specifically what is specified in article 18 of the aforementioned law and referring to the minimization of waste and its dangerousness", the people or entities that produce waste "are obliged to apply the necessary technology to favor prevention in the generation of waste and facilitate both its reuse and its elimination in the least harmful way possible, for human health and the environment".
They also indicate that the infractions foreseen in this law may give rise to sanctions that entail fines of between 3,000 and up to 300,000 euros, "depending on the seriousness of the damage".
