ARCHIVED - Urgent heavy metals clean-up on former zinc company land in Cartagena

Contaminated soil and water have killed birds on plots of land just outside the city

After years of campaigning by activists concerned about the presence of heavy metals in old mining deposits and industrial premises the regional government of Murcia finally took action last week to clean up the land just to the east of the built-up area of Cartagena which was formerly occupied by Zinsa, the Spanish zinc company.

In recent weeks activists have been highlighting the danger for birds and human beings caused by the land containing Zinsa’es old drying pools and other installations, and after inspections during the week the regional government’s Department of the Environment order that these pools be emptied “urgently” after recognizing that the death of protected bird species is related to the “neglect” of the land. A deadline of 10 days was set for Cartagena Parque SA, the owner of the land, to remove all liquids, seal all deposits and erect perimeter fencing around the areas.

These steps are to be taken while a longer-term decontamination project is being drawn up and approved after water samples taken in the area last week were found to contain mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals. Some of the pools of water were reported to be a phosphorescent green colour, and when stones were dropped into them effervescence and a strongly acidic smell were observed.

The land which was occupied by Zinsa is between Torreciega, in the eastern outskirts of the city of Cartagena, and the Cabezo Baeza industrial estate which is home to the Espacio Mediterráneo shopping mall, and during their most recent visit government inspectors saw for themselves dead birds which had been attracted by a surface layer of water, leading them to mistake the area for natural wetlands. Among the species affected were herons and cormorants which were “seriously affected” by toxic residues and the highly acidic nature of the water (pH 0.9-1.8). This latest inspection was prompted by information supplied by edaphologist José Matías Peñas, who has lobbied constantly for action to be taken in an area which is one of six in Spain to be officially categorized as radioactive.

Despite this radioactivity in the area also known as “El Hondón” the long-term plans include a project to create a large residential development along the future AVE high-speed rail line, and last year Mayoress of Cartagena, Ana Belén Castejón, was reported to be considering enlisting the collaboration of private investors and property developers in decontaminating the land at a cost which, according to a study carried out by the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), is likely to be around 17 million euros.

Of course the problem of heavy metals contamination is not limited to this land, the best known example being the massive landfill in the bay of Portmán, where a four-year regeneration project began but has ground to a halt after legal and technical irregularities were detected in the project. In La Unión and Cartagena there are constant protests over runoff water containing harmful substances running past inhabited areas and eventually into the Mar Menor, where this is one of the factors known to have contributed to the drastic deterioration in the marine environment.

For more local news, events and other information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.

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