Spain condemned for water pollution by nitrates

2024-04-07 10:26:07

Count the Healthy Life Association that Spain is systematically failing to comply with water pollution regulations.

Let’s say it clearly: The agroindustrial model is poisoning the water. What, how, what is this about? Let me tell you.

He Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently condemned Spain for not implementing the necessary measures to prevent and reverse the nitrate water pollution that cause the agriculture and the cattle raising.

The European Commission opened this process against our country in November 2021. After numerous calls for attention to Spain for not complying with the Nitrates Directive, it decided to take our country before this court.

Since the Nitrates Directive was approved 30 years ago, successive governments of Spain and other competent authorities have allowed the increase in the use of fertilizers and the uncontrolled intensification of livestock farming.

These are the main causes of this nitrate pollution and are identified in the original text of the Directive:

One of the major causes of water pollution by nitrates in Spain is the excessive intensive livestock herd. This pollution will not be reduced if intensive livestock farming is not reduced, it is that clear. Today’s condemnation should be the definitive push to take action and get to the root of the problem: change the agroindustrial model”.

Luis Ferreirimhead of Agriculture and Livestock at Greenpeace.

Photo de Steve Johnson

But what are nitrates? Nitrates y nitrites They are compounds that are part of the cycle of nitrogen. This is one of the compounds in the atmosphere and after different transformations we also find it in soils, on earth and in the agua.

And once in the digestive system, after drinking water, for example, or taking contaminated foodcan react with amines from protein foods of animal origin and form nitrosamines which are the molecules that are really dangerous for the body.

And be careful because Nitrosamines have proven carcinogenic effects.

The water situation in Spain is alarming and nitrate contamination is already considered, according to the Spanish Government itself: One of the main problems in the water bodies of Spain”.

According to official data, almost half of the water bodies are contaminated by nitrates, causing more and more towns to suffer. cuts in drinking water. This situation particularly affects groundwater, the strategic water reserves for the present and the future.

What is the solution? So reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers and encourage a transition to a model based on agroecology. And by the way, Spain is the first producer in the European Union in organic agriculture and livestock. We have gained something.

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