The parliamentary group of the Left Bloc (BE) in the Assembly of the Republic requested, this Monday, that the government “establish responsibilities and take measures” regarding the explosion of plastic bags that protected the dunes of Estela beach, in Póvoa de Varzim.
According to BE, these bags, which were filled with sand to protect the main dune next to a golf course adjacent to the coast, exploded and scattered plastic, rusty nails and other debris across the sand.
“In addition to the strong visual impacts, the proliferation of waste poses serious risks to the environment, coastal biodiversity and the people who enjoy Estela Beach,” can be read in the letter that the blockers sent to the guardianship.
The party, which described what happened as an “environmental attack”, recalls that this situation has been recurring over the years, pointing out the responsibility of the competent authorities and also the owners of the golf course to solve the problem.
In 2021, the Government reported that the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) had notified the company Estela Golfe SA to “immediately collect and remove bags that were loose and degraded and at risk of being swept away by the sea, as well as carry out frequent monitoring of the area (…). It turns out that most of the bags were not removed and the loose and degraded bags were buried,” says BE.
The party remembers that the bathing season in Póvoa de Varzim [distrito do Porto] began on June 15, pointing out that “it is urgent to remove the waste that is scattered on the beach, sending it to an appropriate destination.”
“The government must apply measures to protect, renaturalize and recover dune systems, instead of specific measures that satisfy the interests of economic groups,” the blockers add.
In the document sent, this Monday, to the Ministry of the Environment, BE asks what steps the Government will take to determine responsibilities and proceed with the removal of waste on Estela beach, when the guardianship foresees that Estela beach will be free of those waste.
The blockers also want to know if there has been any coordination between the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, the APA and the Government in this regard.
Since 2021, the Chamber of Póvoa has been raising awareness of the problem among the guardianship authorities, and a plan has already been drawn up, with the Portuguese Environment Agency, in addition to specific interventions, moving forward with a more sustained operation to reinforce the Protection of the dune.
More recently, the municipality even admitted the need to move part of the golf course installed in the parish of Estela, in order to preserve the coastal area surrounding the team, which has been threatened by coastal erosion.
Source: Observadora
