The "Alteo" aluminum factory in southern France is now under investigation for years of dumping toxic waste into the Mediterranean Sea, as reported by BFMTV.
The channel stated, "It is suspected that between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021, the Alteo factory in the municipalities of Gardanne and Cassis directly or indirectly discharged one or more substances into the regional sea, causing temporary harmful effects on plants and animals."
In 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020, local authorities issued permits to the factory to temporarily exceed the maximum limits to align liquid waste with standards and preserve jobs. However, it is alleged that the factory has not complied with these permits to date.
Following the dumping of toxic waste, an initial investigation was opened in March 2019 against an unknown person on charges of endangering the lives of others.
This came after receiving dozens of complaints from the mayor of Gardanne, environmental organizations, and residents.
The newspaper "Le Monde" reported that excessive concentrations of mercury and arsenic were detected in the waste, noting 64 violations recorded from 2016 to 2021.
The "Alteo" factory, established in 1894, is the world's oldest alumina production plant.
It originally sourced raw materials from Guinea to produce white alumina used in arms production, car manufacturing, and mobile phone production.
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