Alsace Nature will appeal after the dismissal of its complaints about toxic waste buried in the old pota mine in Wittelsheim. Some 42,000 tonnes of toxic waste (cyanide, arsenic, mercury, etc.) were stored in the former potash mine from 1997 as part of a 30-year temporary authorization.
The waste, supposed to be non-flammable, nevertheless caused a fire at the bottom of the mine in 2002. Since then, no additional waste has been stored, but the public authorities have procrastinated for more than 20 years.