A veteran participant has told us that today it was the sixteenth human chain on the La Concha beach in Donostiarra. One of them is special, as it has occurred at a time when the incinerator is about to be officially launched. The fight against incineration and for health has survived for many years. But the callers do not resign and are firmly intent on continuing to fight.

The mobilisation of this Sunday in Donostia-San Sebastián (8 September) has been a clear example of this. Neighbours have formed a long human chain against incineration and surrounded the beach on which they live. The great cry "health yes, no incineration" has launched the human chain, which has departed from Alderdi Eder to the beach. During the second day of the La Concha Flag, the costs of the capital claims against incineration have been filled. In the mobilization, which brought together Guipuzkoans from different places, there was no lack of representation of Zubieta or Usurbil. And along the human chain, screams that have not stopped against incineration and for health.

Note of Human Chain Conveners

As in previous years, the Anti-Incineration Movement, with the collaboration of political groups, ecologists, trade unions, etc., has organised a human chain on 8 September at 11:30 on the beach of La Concha.

This year we are faced with a new situation: The Donostia incinerator is already built and it will start burning waste any day. This is not going to change our fight and our claim will be the same: stop the incinerator. The rejection generated in Gipuzkoa in 2018 has been about half of what the incinerator can burn and follows a trend to decline year after year. The question is directly to our authorities and to the Chinese company Urbaser, which will manage the incinerator: How will you create the garbage necessary to feed the built monster? Will you start importing waste as a number of European incinerators do?

The incinerator needs more trash to burn it, even though Donostia's contribution is impressive: In 2018, Donostia/San Sebastian was the Gipuzkoan town that generated the most rejection per inhabitant (288 kg), while the rest of the municipalities did it for every 100 kg and the average was 160 kg. We must denounce the attitude of the City Hall of San Sebastian, which in the last four years has done nothing to change this disgusting situation, but it is understandable from his point of view: Only San Sebastian generates most of the fuel the incinerator needs and if Gipuzkoa follows the path of most towns, the shortage of garbage for burning would be even greater. San Sebastian needs an incinerator and the incinerator needs Donostia!

We have talked many times about the incinerator contaminating the air and the earth, which will cause disease... Today we want to underline the impact of gases emitted by the incinerator on climate change. For every kilo of burned waste in the incinerator, approximately one kilo of CO2 will be generated and the amount of nitrogen oxides that the incinerator is going to pour per year will be equivalent to 150,000 diesel cars, each of which will travel 10,000 km. Remember that these are, together with methane, the most harmful gases that lead our planet to ruin. From this perspective, the incinerator will be one of the most polluting companies in Gipuzkoa, which will most contribute to increasing climate change.

To our rulers, in addition to the great climatic words, we ask them to take real action, and that these measures be transferred to the circular economy on a non-voluntary basis: reduce (especially the use of plastics), reuse, recycle, compost and ship to the landfill once the remaining rejection has been stabilised.

If we want a habitable planet for our children, our grandchildren, we can't leave it for tomorrow. We must start immediately to change our customs and call on politicians and rulers to put aside the path of business and to put the means for a sustainable future.

We are not going to resign: we are in favour of a habitable planet and that is why we cannot accept the incinerator.

EHBildu, Equo, Sortu, Eguzki, Ekologistak Martxan, Greenpeace, CCOO, EHNE, LAB...