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Parliamentary question - E-003660/2022Parliamentary question
E-003660/2022

Cork producer failing to comply with national and EU legislation

Question for written answer  E-003660/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
José Gusmão (The Left), Marisa Matias (The Left)

The cork producer Amorim Cork Insulation has not made the requisite investment in its Silves plant to bring it into line with the applicable national and EU legislation on air pollution, air quality and noise. A number of tests found that the fumes it discharges contain a significant amount of suberin and high levels of particulate matter (PM10), which have a direct impact on people’s health. The Vizinhos da Fábrica (‘factory neighbours’) association met with local municipal and regional coordination bodies in an unsuccessful attempt to remedy this state of affairs. In October 2020, the Left Bloc asked the Portuguese Government about the problem, but the then Minister for the Environment and Climate Action said that the smoke was ‘nothing but water vapour’ and assured us that there was no cause for concern. A goal of the 2013 EU air quality strategy is to achieve full compliance with existing legislation by 2030.

Submitted: 9.11.2022

Last updated: 17 November 2022
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