The Stop Biogas Aljarafe-Doñana Platform held its second assembly in Aznalcázar, with support from several municipalities and the intervention of scientist Fernando Valladares.
The second assembly of the Stop Biogas Aljarafe-Doñana Platform gathered numerous residents from the region in Aznalcázar yesterday, with the backing of institutional representatives from Bollullos de la Mitación, Pilas, and Sanlúcar la Mayor. The meeting, held on August 6, served to reiterate the rejection of the biogas plant project proposed in the municipality of Benacazón.
The event featured speeches from the mayor of Aznalcázar, the mayor of Sanlúcar la Mayor, and environmental journalist Ricardo Gamaza, as well as a video conference participation from scientist Fernando Valladares, a PhD in Biology and research professor at CSIC.
Valladares detailed the health, environmental, and economic risks that the installation could pose in the short and medium term for neighbouring municipalities. The researcher described the scale of the project as excessive for the real needs of the area and debunked the argument of social benefit by contrasting its limited job creation capacity —estimated at only 6 to 10 positions— with the potential destruction of local jobs.
Regarding public health, the expert noted that unpleasant odours cause headaches and force residents to keep their windows closed, and warned that the facilities attract insects like flies and mosquitoes, in an area already dealing with the mosquito vector of the West Nile virus, in addition to emitting suspended particles with long-term harmful effects.
The researcher reminded attendees that the problem lies in the project's size: while in other parts of Europe this waste management is carried out through micro-plants of up to 20,000 tonnes adapted to local operations, the proposed macro-plant exceeds 100,000 tonnes. "It seeks to obtain short-term profits through gas sales without measuring the damage caused," he explained, adding that the declaration of southern Europe as a Renewable Acceleration Zone (ZAR) is turning the territory into a "sacrificial energy zone".
The assembly also served to clarify the current status of the project's processing. The community platform warned that, despite recent positive institutional political statements, the project remains active in its administrative processing. Spokespersons reminded that the environmental threat will continue to loom over the entire Aljarafe-Doñana region until a real and officially published dismissal is executed by the competent administrations.
The meeting concluded with an urgent call to the population of all involved localities to remain vigilant and continue citizen mobilisations in the streets.
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