Ash starts to build up at Son Reus incinerator

Water in short supply, congested roads, utilities expected to be stretched to breaking point over the summer - the latest of the government's woes is that 70'000 tons of ash from the incinerator are currently being stored at Son Reus because there is nowhere to store them. Eventually, a storage and treatment plant will be built in an area of 108'000 square metres next to the plant. But the Balearic government and Council of Majorca are waiting to see if the European Union will provide funding for the project, which will cost 18'000 million pesetas. At one point, it was hinted that Europe would cover up to 85 per cent of the cost, but the government is less optimistic at the moment. Construction of the plant will begin once it is known if European funds will be forthcoming. Although all the analyses prove that the ashes are inert, the government plans to build a secure deposit for the ashes, which could lead to a delay in the start of work. According to a spokesman for the company Tirme, which has the concession at the incinerator, the construction of the plant will take at least one year, although this could stretch to 18 months. As to rubbish production, the same spokesman said that in the first few months of the year, it has risen by six per cent. He said that 832 tons were collected in January, 904 in February and 950 tons in March. Predictions for April indicate that it will be in the region of 1'050 tons by the end of the month. However, despite this increase, it has not been necessary to re-open the tip because the two furnaces at Son Reus have been able to cope.