The police have for a long time investigated the allegations of serious environmental crime at the waste collection point in central Norway. Here the landfill became increasingly large, and in the end must have contained many thousands of tonnes of scrap. Now he, who was the day-to-day manager, is charged with environmental crime, economic crime and breach of the Criminal Code. – This is serious. Over a 20-year period, he has constantly stored more and more waste, which he had a duty to pass on to others who were supposed to process the waste, says state attorney Magne Nyborg. State Attorney Magne Nyborg. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news According to the indictment, the former day-to-day manager illegally stored waste for 20 years at the waste facility in Eide, and also for several years at a similar facility in the neighboring municipality of Averøy. He was brought up not only as day-to-day manager, but at the same time also chairman of the board and sole shareholder in the company. The public prosecutor has also prosecuted the man for having sent erroneous reports about the relationship to the State Trustee, and believes he must be punished for not having notified the auction several years before the company in Eide went bankrupt. – He believes the indictment is based on incorrect facts, and it is a question of whether the application of the law is correct, says Edvard Eide, who is the husband’s lawyer. He says it is not natural for his client to plead guilty to what he is accused of. Edvard Eide is the lawyer for the man who is now charged. Photo: MARI AANDAHL KIPPERNES / news Point to deviations for several years There have been major problems with the waste facilities in Eide and Averøy for several years, and the main man behind them has been in the spotlight of the environmental authorities for a long time. But only after inspectors had pointed out several deviations over several years, the operation of the waste facility in Eide was discontinued in 2020. Then the license was withdrawn, the company went bankrupt and the police started an investigation. The state administrator has received criticism from several parties for a lack of control over the company. State Attorney Magne Nyborg says they have concentrated the investigation around him who is now being charged, and not directed it at the State Administrator’s people. – Regardless of the criticism, as a licensee he has his own duty to ensure that the rules are followed. – But haven’t the case handlers at the State Administrator also done something wrong? – It is possible, but it was such an extensive matter that it had to be narrowed down. Here we have concentrated on the person who has actually polluted, says Nyborg. Pollution by the Environmental Service Owned before it was cleaned up. Photo: Trine Jørgensen Aandahl / news Piling up with rubbish The rubbish inside the facility must have been piling up day by day. The company is said to have been unable to handle the waste that entered the facility. In the end, it must have become so much that even large trucks would have spent almost nine days emptying the area, if they managed to drive out a load every ten minutes around the clock. Much of the rubbish has already been removed, but there is still a lot left.Eirik Haukenes/news Luftfoto It could cost 50 million to clean up Employees at the State Administrator have previously calculated that the clean-up could cost around 50 million kroner. So far, there are many indications that this must be paid for by the public sector. The clean-up has only just begun, four years after operations ceased and the bankruptcy was a vacuum. So far, around ten per cent of what the State Administrator has estimated to be in the area must have been extracted. The aim is for the clean-up to be completed next year. Hello! Do you have any input on other issues we should look at in connection with this case? Feel free to send us an email! Published 24/07/2024, at 15.04 Updated 24.07.2024, at 15.31
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Former day-to-day manager of the Environmental Service Eide indicted for violation of the Pollution Act – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
