Environmentalists Condemn Italian Dumping of Rubbish in Morocco

Moroccan environmentalists are up in arms over a shipment of rubbish from Italy being sent to Morocco. After the latest rubbish arrival associations for environmental protection have protested against the arrival of a large ship, from Italy, to Port of Jorf Lasfar

The 2,500 tons of waste plastics, rubber and used tires, is being be moved to Casablanca and Settat, to be burned in cement plants. Mohamed Khalidi, President of the Regional Centre for the Environment and Sustainable Development, stressed that "this incident is not the first of its kind. A number of associations have already had to deal with other shipments and rubber tires to burn in a cement plants in Morocco."

In a statement to the public, the centre in El Jadida condemned the shipment of waste "that prove dangerous and toxic, causing human and environmental damage and lead to the emergence of many acute and chronic illnesses, as well as birth defects and lifelong disabilities."

Mohamed Khalidi also asked the authorities to "put an end to such behaviour and to punish any person intending to import toxic substances to Morocco to burn and pollute the environment."

Morocco is not "a waste repository"

Mohamed Khalidi is surprised that people pollute the environment at the same time as Morocco has launched the Zero Mika (no plastic bags) campaign and will host the 22nd UN climate conference, COP 22. He also noted that a demonstration will follow this weeks the statement issued by the centre, to attract the attention of officials at local, regional and national levels, and intends to ask them to stop all behaviour harmful to human health and which affects the reputation of the country, which, he says is not "a waste repository".

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