Landslide at soil facility costs Danish municipality 83 million kroner
Local authorities say they are no longer paying for the response to a landslide at soil treatment company Nordic Waste, after central authorities took on responsibility for the environmental protection work.
The municipal director at Randers Municipality, Jesper Kaas Schmidt, told local newspaper Randers Amts Avis on Wednesday that the central government would now take over the cost of the cleanup.
“We covered all expenses until Monday, when the Danish Environmental Protection Agency [Miljøstyrelsen] took over responsibility and the bill,” Schmidt said.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is Denmark’s Nordic Waste scandal and why is a billionaire in the spotlight?
In total, the municipality’s expenses have amounted to at least 83 million kroner for clean-up work after as environmentally dangerous landslide near the town of Ølst south of Randers.
Schmidt said he regards this as an expense that should be covered by Nordic Waste.
The company controversially declared itself bankrupt at the end of last in the midst of a scandal over the landslide, which threatens damage to waterways and other ecosystems in the area.
The government has said it intends to legally pursue Nordic Waste over the issue.
Criticism was meanwhile levelled at the now-defunct company’s director after media revealed one of his other companies was profiting from the clean-up work.
Authorities and administrators are now working to clarify who is responsible for the landslide and who must pay the bill for the environmental protection efforts.
Randers Municipality is one of a number of parties to have made a claim against Nordic Waste, saying it is owed 100 million kroner by the company.
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The municipal director at Randers Municipality, Jesper Kaas Schmidt, told local newspaper Randers Amts Avis on Wednesday that the central government would now take over the cost of the cleanup.
“We covered all expenses until Monday, when the Danish Environmental Protection Agency [Miljøstyrelsen] took over responsibility and the bill,” Schmidt said.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is Denmark’s Nordic Waste scandal and why is a billionaire in the spotlight?
In total, the municipality’s expenses have amounted to at least 83 million kroner for clean-up work after as environmentally dangerous landslide near the town of Ølst south of Randers.
Schmidt said he regards this as an expense that should be covered by Nordic Waste.
The company controversially declared itself bankrupt at the end of last in the midst of a scandal over the landslide, which threatens damage to waterways and other ecosystems in the area.
The government has said it intends to legally pursue Nordic Waste over the issue.
Criticism was meanwhile levelled at the now-defunct company’s director after media revealed one of his other companies was profiting from the clean-up work.
Authorities and administrators are now working to clarify who is responsible for the landslide and who must pay the bill for the environmental protection efforts.
Randers Municipality is one of a number of parties to have made a claim against Nordic Waste, saying it is owed 100 million kroner by the company.
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