Central Evia has two natural drainages of surface water, one by the Evian Gulf and one in the Aegean Sea. Due to the high rates of rainfall it receives, it is considered as a water-rich region. The data of a hydrogeological survey held in the period 1997-2002 disclosed that groundwater is enriched with huge pollutant loads, which pose a risk to public health.

Important causes of pollution are the illegal waste dumping in the area by animal husbandry and poultry farms, and the hexavalent chromium concentration in the aquifer from nearby industries and crafts treating metallurgical derivatives. The uncontrolled activity of mining of Larco industry, a company that mines iron- nickel ore is considered an important factor contributing to more pollution. Larco’s trenches accumulate waste that obstructs the water races. Moreover, in the stagnant water of "open pit" mines, like Larco’s ones, the phenomenon of acid drainage is caused: Water, atmospheric oxygen and sulphur from minerals create sulfuric acid that dissolves the salts of heavy metals, which slowly infiltrate into the underground water horizon.

Environmental impacts include the pollution of the North Evian Gulf with toxic waste, being transported through Messapion river, soil pollution caused by the discharge of flammable materials in the forest of Central Evia, which also increases the possibility of forest fires, the destruction of the landscape through the many trenches, caused by open quarries. Residents are infuriated as they live in a degraded environment with drinking water being unsuitable and new drillings having no effect whatsoever, as it's like drinking water with a straw from a bottle with toxic polluted water.

Official letters have been sent by the Forestry of Halkida, the Committee of Panevoikos Environmental Network, environmental organisations and residents, seeking from the Directorates of Environment and Hydro-economy of the Regional Units of Evia and Viotia to conduct inspections in units within the corresponding regional units that operate in aluminium thermal processing. However, any official control is cancelled in practice as penalties, and fine procedures take very long time. This also happens due to the fact that Larco employs over 1000 people overall (235 in Evia) and, therefore, it is considered a significant contributor to the local economy.

Larco claims that it is inevitable that mining activity affects the environment but it is certain that a major part of these changes is reversible. It also claims that it embraces the principles of sustainable development and that it is very sensitive concerning environmental impact at the sites of activity.

This issue is considered as environmental injustice, because the groundwater pollution with heavy metals leads to human rights violations, as the residential living standards are deteriorating. Moreover, health problems have been possibly created or worsened by pollution. From a legal point of view, the locals were not informed nor involved in decision-making, a situation contrary to Community Directives 90/313/EEC and 85/337/EEC on the freedom of access to information on the environment and the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, respectively. The international London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, which has been ratified by Greece has also been violated. Under current legislation, the disposal of LARCO’s slag should have stopped by 01/01/96. Moreover, the Barcelona Convention “for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution” and the Protocol of 1980 "for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities” have been violated.

Αs a conclusion, we could suggest that the state, according to the Greek and European legislation has not taken the necessary and appropriate prevention and remediation of damage measures. The damage has been caused to the soil, subsoil and water table of the area, from the uncontrolled disposal of toxic and hazardous waste of various establishments from which the greatest responsibility lies with Larco.

Location

Greece, Region of Sterea Ellada, Regional Unit of Evia, Municipality of Dirfys-Messapia ( https://www.google.gr/maps/@38.6620593,23.5894699,7275m/data=!3m1!1e3 )

 

Environmental impact

• Water pollution
• Land degradation (e.g. drought, soil contamination, erosion and desertification)
• Biodiversity loss – Ecosystem destruction
• Waste, waste disposal, and toxicants
• Alteration of landscape aesthetics and built heritage

Ethical/ legal issues

• Life and personal security
• Health and well-being
• A clean and prosperous environment and a safe and pleasant habitat
• Access to public goods/ resources and products
• Personal and social development, economic progress and innovation
• Democratic participation to decision-making on community and national affairs

Information sources & materials

Contributor(s)

Georgia Liarakou, liarakou [at] aegean.gr, Associate Professor in the University of the Aegean, Greece, CTI – Team.

Dimitrios Gkotzos, dmgtzs  [at] gmail.com, Environmental Education Officer in the North Athens Directorate of Primary Education, Greece, CTI – Team.

Maria Karagianni, maria.karagianni14 [at] gmail.com, Undergraduate student at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

 

 

 

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