Iberboard begins the removal of 15,000 tons of waste from the Alt Camp plant

AlcoverIberboard began removing the approximately 15,000 tons of waste that had accumulated at its Alcover plant in the Alt Camp region on Monday, as confirmed to ARA by company sources. This paper mill suspended operations in August 2014, leaving around one hundred workers in the area without jobs. In addition to accumulating tons of waste over the years, Iberboard also had numerous files for various environmental violations, such as dumping waste into the Francolí River and storing toxic waste for longer than legally permitted. The company made significant investments in machinery and also allocated resources to correct some of the identified deficiencies, such as noise pollution that disturbed residents, but ultimately filed for bankruptcy a year and a half ago. Since then, representatives from different departments of the Catalan government, such as the Catalan Waste Agency and the Catalan Water Agency, and the mayor of Alcover have met with company representatives and their lawyers to find a solution that would allow for the removal of the 15,000 tons of waste. The risk this poses in the event of a rise in the river level is a concern. Initially, the company was reluctant to take responsibility, but in October of last year, it finally committed to removing all the waste once it received authorization from the bankruptcy administrator. Approval was granted, and the company finally began waste collection in December. But on the first day, the engine of the excavator they had rented broke down, thwarting the anticipated start of the collection, which resumed today.

The cost of removing the waste is over one million euros and will be borne by the company, which has already sold all the machinery it had acquired. In fact, these past few days, there were still some scrap metal dealers coming to buy what remained. It is difficult to predict how long it will take to see the company's plant clean, but according to informed sources, it will be almost six months. The waste from Alcover will be transported to the Griñó plant, a company specializing in waste transport and treatment.

A century-old company

Iberboard is the final chapter for Paperera Catalana, a family business founded in 1916 that grew steadily. The owners sold it, and the business changed hands several times until it reached its current owners. At its peak, it employed 212 people and had a turnover of €35.2 million. The company bought bales of recycled paper and processed it into cardboard. Much of the material inside these bales, often from the blue recycling bins found in cities, is unsuitable for cardboard production. Some workers told ARA that they could find everything from microwaves to motors. It is all this material, along with the waste generated by the processing, that is now being removed.