Thousands of Colmenar Viejo residents mobilize against the biogas plant, chanting, "We don't want to be Madrid's energy dump."

Colmenar Viejo, Oct 26 (EFE) – Some 7,000 people, according to the organizers—1,700 according to the Civil Guard—participated this Sunday in the demonstration against the construction of a biogas generation plant in Colmenar Viejo. Residents complain that the project will affect the quality of the air, water, and soil in the town and the neighboring municipality of Tres Cantos.

Neighbors united against the project

The demonstration, organized by the Stop Biogas 3CV platform, brought together residents of both municipalities, who marched through several streets of Colmenar Viejo before the reading of a manifesto. A message of support was also heard from the mayor of Balsa de Ves (Albacete), where a similar facility already exists.

Members of various neighborhood associations carried banners with slogans such as: "Liar mayor, the project is dangerous"; "Not too big, not too close"; "Smells don't understand colors."

“Democratize garbage”

Residents point out that Colmenar Viejo already hosts a large landfill that receives waste from more than 75 municipalities and is currently undergoing its fifth expansion. They point out that their demand "is not about ideology, but about the right to dignity and quality of life."

One resident stated that the current waste management model "only brings regression, because it pollutes the soil, water, and air," and emphasized: "We have a heritage that we must protect."

A different model from the European one

Other attendees explained that, in Europe, the biogas plants cited as references are "small, locally managed facilities." They insisted that they are not opposed to waste treatment , but rather to the model being implemented.

They demand transparency, public reporting, a neighborhood consultation, and respect for the affected municipalities. They also point out to the Ministry for Ecological Transition: "The ecological transition cannot be built at the expense of the people."

Legal proceedings underway

Manuel Pérez Ruiz, a retired professor from the UAM and member of the Clean Air Platform, emphasized that the current waste management model "is outdated" and noted that the associations have filed a lawsuit over the declaration of public utility of the plots where the plant could be built. The legal process has already passed the initial stage, and additional documentation is expected.

Risk Warnings

Pérez Ruiz has warned of potential operational risks, such as fires or spills, and noted that the new IDAE guidelines on biogas plants include requirements that the Colmenar Viejo project "would not meet."

The version of the promoter companies

The companies claim that the 6,200-square-meter plant—“smaller than the Colmenar Viejo soccer field”—will include biofilters and systems capable of eliminating up to 99% of odors , as well as a double-lock system that prevents leaks to the outside.

They also point out that only urban organic waste will be processed, with priority given to that generated in Colmenar Viejo and its surrounding area, preventing further burial in the local landfill. EFEverde

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Residents of Colmenar Viejo and Tres Cantos protest again against the biogas plant due to its environmental impact.