Nordic Waste: Danish municipality could face scrutiny over scandal-hit company
The scandal at soil treatment facility Nordic Waste has taken a further development after reports emerged that the local authority, Randers Municipality, failed to sufficiently keep record of inspections at the company’s premises.
Danish newspaper Berlingske reported that on 17 occasions between 2021 and 2023, Randers Municipality did not keep proper records of inspections at the company’s facility near Ølst in central Jutland.
That came after Randers Municipality on Monday gave a press conference on its role in the scandal and published a version of the reports on its website.
A spokesperson from the soil treatment company told Berlingske that formalities around the reports had not been properly followed, and that the published versions were generated on January 29th, based on registered information.
“We can confirm that the reports in the form you see them were made after the event,” it said.
The municipality does possess over 17,000 pages of documentation relating to the issue, however.
A landslide of contaminated soil at Nordic Waste’s facility in December still threatens damage to the local environment.
Denmark’s government is pursuing the company for costs after it declared itself bankrupt earlier in January.
READ ALSO:
- EXPLAINED: What is Denmark’s Nordic Waste scandal and why is a billionaire in the spotlight?
- Nordic Waste: Denmark opens probe into contaminated soil landslide
Last week, the Danish Environmental Agency (Miljøstyrelsen) told several Danish media that it was not in possession of the reports and that the municipality is in fact obliged to publish them.
Each report should be individually published four weeks after the inspections took place, according to the national agency.
According to Berlingske’s report, the municipality was aware of a landslide at inspections in September and October.
The government has appointed its civil lawyer, Kammeradvokaten, to investigate whether the leadership or others connected to Nordic Waste can face economic responsibility or legal sanctions for the scandal.
Randers Municipality could also face scrutiny from parliament over its role in and management of the issue.
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Danish newspaper Berlingske reported that on 17 occasions between 2021 and 2023, Randers Municipality did not keep proper records of inspections at the company’s facility near Ølst in central Jutland.
That came after Randers Municipality on Monday gave a press conference on its role in the scandal and published a version of the reports on its website.
A spokesperson from the soil treatment company told Berlingske that formalities around the reports had not been properly followed, and that the published versions were generated on January 29th, based on registered information.
“We can confirm that the reports in the form you see them were made after the event,” it said.
The municipality does possess over 17,000 pages of documentation relating to the issue, however.
A landslide of contaminated soil at Nordic Waste’s facility in December still threatens damage to the local environment.
Denmark’s government is pursuing the company for costs after it declared itself bankrupt earlier in January.
READ ALSO:
- EXPLAINED: What is Denmark’s Nordic Waste scandal and why is a billionaire in the spotlight?
- Nordic Waste: Denmark opens probe into contaminated soil landslide
Last week, the Danish Environmental Agency (Miljøstyrelsen) told several Danish media that it was not in possession of the reports and that the municipality is in fact obliged to publish them.
Each report should be individually published four weeks after the inspections took place, according to the national agency.
According to Berlingske’s report, the municipality was aware of a landslide at inspections in September and October.
The government has appointed its civil lawyer, Kammeradvokaten, to investigate whether the leadership or others connected to Nordic Waste can face economic responsibility or legal sanctions for the scandal.
Randers Municipality could also face scrutiny from parliament over its role in and management of the issue.
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