Scandal in St. Pölten: Environmental protection actively against illegal garbage deposits!

Scandal in St. Pölten: Environmental protection actively against illegal garbage deposits!

St. Pölten, Österreich - In St. Pölten it is bubbling! The environmental protection organization Greenpeace has published shocking recordings that show the alleged illegal burial of untreated garbage at the “Am Ziegel oven” landfill. In an area of 17 hectares, where the deposit of untreated waste has been banned since 2008, around 1,000 cubic meters of garbage were found, which apparently are stored there without the appropriate treatment. The operator of the landfill speaks of "non -dangerous waste", but the authorities were alerted by the revelations of Greenpeace, which now initiate a comprehensive examination on an area of two hectares. According to the first reports, the grave action is at least ten meters deep to determine the extent and origin of the material, which does not meet the requirements for landfilling, as the state's environmental authority has confirmed.

The reactions

The city of St. Pölten is behind these controls and requires a complete clarification of the Situation. Environmental city councilor Renate Gamsjäger (SPÖ) emphasizes that the city has long demanded clarification by the responsible authorities and that further controls in the landfill have been necessary. One is concerned about the odor nuisances that have increased since the privatization of the landfill in 2018. Mayor Matthias Stadler aims that the city is not responsible for a lack of garbage treatment and calls on the responsible authorities to quickly examine the situation. "The city has operated the system flawlessly for decades. You would also expect that from a private operator," says Stadler.

This may sound like an impressive act of environmental protection, but the explosive conditions under which the landfill has been operated since the 1960s, dark shadows throw on the operator's practices. Greenpeace speaks illegally deposited of "several thousand tons of landfill material", a scandal that is second to none. Even if the state government lists regular controls, the question remains: How could this come about? The local population and environmentalists urge an honest and comprehensive examination of the circumstances, while the city of St. Pölten is preparing to support measures to improve the situation, as has already been made by building a hall including a exhaust system.

The drama of the case is illustrated by the continuous background and the urgent need for a solution in waste management in Austria, as well as meinzirk.at reported. The goal remains clear: an end to irregularities and an environmentally friendly handling of waste. While the situation is worrying, all eyes are on the responsible authorities.