If the Public Prosecution service ever works out who caused the pollution in the Tejo near the Abrantes reservoir, where a sea of foam received national media attention this January, the Ministry of the Environment says it will send them a bill for €700,000 to help pay for the clean-up operation.
The cleaning of the Tejo cost taxpayers €1.7 million, "one million went on equipment €700,000 was for labour for the removal of 90,000 m3 of mud - we will do everything to recover this money," said the Minister of Environment and Energy Transition, João Matos Fernandes.
Since the beginning of the year, under an Integrated Inspection Plan, there have been 280 inspections at several points near potential polluters and 30 infractions were logged.
"Many of them will become sanctioning decisions," explained the Minister, highlighting changes in the justice system that have tightened up on environmental crime and allowed high fines.
Matos Fernandes revealed that since the mass death of fish in Nisa last November, thousands of readings have been analysed at the point where the river enters Portugal and at Constância, where it meets Zêzere. No culprit has been found.
Fernandes was addressing a meeting in Abrantes, aimed at understanding the quantity and quality of water of the Tejo.
The Minister had no explanation as to why his Ministry was preparing to send a bill of just €700,000 to the foam polluter, when the clean-up operation cost the taxpayer €1.7 million.
If he is unclear as to which factory caused the pollution, try Celtejo's 'Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft Pulp' plant, which has been polluting the river for years.
