Stop the polluter in Vrginmost, not the resistance of the local community!

Waste Action Vrginmost

12.09.2024.

Authorities must take urgent action and immediately shut down the operations of the toxic plastic recycling facility in Vrginmost, rather than putting pressure on local environmental defenders.

Today, activists from Zelena akcija / FoE Croatia staged a protest in front of the plastic recycling facility in Vrginmost, temporarily shutting down the operations of Phaten Plastic Recycling by locking the gate with padlocks and successfully turning away an arriving lorry. "We did what the State Inspectorate should have done two months ago when the facility’s waste management licence was revoked", said Ana-Marija Mileusnić from FoE Croatia.

It is astonishing that two months after the licence was revoked, this factory's illegal operations, which are degrading the community's quality of life and harming the environment, are still being allowed to continue. For over a year and a half, Vrginmost residents have raised concerns about noise, foul odours, and health issues with the relevant authorities, yet their pleas have been persistently ignored.

"The plastic processing plant has been running around the clock all summer, with lorries continuing to arrive in Vrginmost from across Europe. Meanwhile, pressure on environmental defenders, who have been speaking out about these issues for over a year, has only increased. Enough is enough, this violence against the local community must stop", said Mileusnić.

FoE Croatia has submitted numerous reports to the relevant inspection authorities throughout the year, yet they have received no response. On the other hand, members of the local community who have been gathering evidence of the company’s illegal activities are facing increasing pressure from authorities and intimidation aimed at discouraging their resistance. In most cases, the authorities have failed to inspect complaints regarding the plant’s operations, such as noise and foul odours during the night.