SIX companies and farmers are to be fined a total of €2.3 million for polluting the Mar Menor lagoon in the Murcia region.
The Ministry of Environment has finished sanctioning investigations that started in 2021 against offenders in the Campo de Cartagena that dumped brine into the lagoon or into aquifers.
The liquid residue came from illegal desalination plants and contained high concentrations of agricultural nitrates which polluted the Mar Menor.
The penalties- which can be appealed- are regarded as financial compensation to repair the damage caused under the Environmental Liability Law.
Several of those sanctioned are also accused of committing environmental crimes and are awaiting trial.
The largest fine of €1.1 million goes to Group G’s España based in Torre Pacheco who grow fruit and vegetables.
Ciky Oro- exporters of melons around Europe, especially France and Switzerland- will have to pay over €798,000.
Three other firms and individuals have penalties ranging between €18,846 and €161,249.
Separate to the environmental fines, a penalty of over €192,000 for committing an administrative infraction has been levied on businessman Isidro Soto Pedreño,
Investigations by the Guardia Civil and the Segura Hydrographic Confederation(CHS) say that between 2013 and 2017, Soto carried out continuous discharges from his desalination plant.
The water went through the pipeline of the La Señora ravine at a rate of 330,000 cubic metres of brine each year.
His fine also reflects the cost of CHS staff dismantling the plant and shutting down the Campo de Cartagena pipe network which took the discharges into the Mar Menor.
Meanwhile the CHS says that farmers in 97% of the Campo area(37,600 hectares) are complying with special measures introduced two years ago to stop nitrate dumping.
A report will be produced before the summer on the impact that current irrigation activity is having on the lagoon, and what the next steps will be.
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