Etcheverry Mindurri and CBA Artola de Lapurdi have been penalised for bringing unauthorised waste to the Zaldibar landfill. The Baiona Court’s ruling of 18 January imposes significant fines on both companies. Etcheverry Mindur is based in Basusarri and CBA Artola in San Juan de Luz.

The company Etcheverry Mindurri must pay a fine of EUR 150,000, of which EUR 50,000 may be exempted if it does not commit another crime. It will also have to repay EUR 110,000 for benefits obtained irregularly.

For its part, CBA Artola was sanctioned with a fine of EUR 100,000 and an exemption of EUR 50,000. On the contrary, it must return EUR 210,000 of illegal revenue.

The Association for the Environment Group (CADE) started the trial against both companies and on 16 November the trial took place at the Bayona Court. According to the prosecutor, the companies took 22,000 tonnes of waste to Zaldibar in order to save money.

Both companies have been found guilty of the removal of recyclable waste to landfill and the unauthorized removal of waste “from France to Spain”. The owners deny that their actions are illegal and point out that they thought they were for waste recovery.

The judgment states that Etcheverry Mindur will pay EUR 21,000 to the CADE for judicial costs and must publish a document in a newspaper. CBA Artola must also pay the costs of the trial.