“Water, justice, health”, symbolized by coffins, were buried on Saturday afternoon in Landunvez (Finistère).
Several hundred people demonstrated without incident on Saturday in Landunvez (Finistère), at the call of several associations, to ask the State to protect fresh water and denounce the pollution caused, according to them, by the presence of a megapig with 12,000 pigs.
Dressed in black and boots, the demonstrators - 450 according to the prefecture - took part in "a funeral march".
With slogans directed against the State, the demonstration, organized by the association Avenir et environnement en Pays d'Iroise (AEPI), affiliated with Eau et Rivières de Bretagne and France Nature Environnement, intended to denounce "the pollution of groundwater » and « the absence of water governance » caused, according to them, by the « mega pig farm » Avel Vor installed in the commune.
An avenue in the town has also been renamed “Avenue des champs des slurries”.
Lots of people today in landunvez at the call of the associations @AssoAEPI APPCL members of @Eauetrivieres and @FNEasso and @FNEbretagne to oppose the extension of the mega-pig farm Avel vor to 28000 pigs in this coastal town of 1500 inhabitants pic.twitter.com/TQrY6HhUgN
– Water and Rivers of Brittany (@Eauetrivieres) August 27, 2022
This farm obtained a favorable opinion in the spring from a commissioner-investigator of the prefecture to go from 9,000 to 12,000 pigs.
“We have groundwater which is polluted, even the operator has water problems.
Here we have 33 tonnes of ammonia falling on the ground per year, and up to 6 tonnes per day of slurry on the land.
At the tap, we no longer drink drinking water, we have to bring water from other networks,” said Éric Lefin, president of the AEPI.
" We loose nothing.
We are going to launch a collective complaint for poisoning with ammonia gas from our water catchment.
Because it has been 20 years since actions should have been taken to protect it.
Water governance needs to wake up,” he added.
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Some 350 farmers, according to the prefecture, had also made the trip to support the manager of the pigsty, Philippe Bizien, who also chairs the Regional Pork Committee, at the call of the union of groups of meat producers in Brittany, joined by the FDSEA (Departmental Federation of Farmers' Unions) and the Young Farmers (JA).
For an agricultural Brittany and in support of Philippe Bizien, pig breeder, in the most beautiful town of @finistere_29.
@FNSEA @EvelUpCoop pic.twitter.com/Fkh63UNdEq
– MEVEL (@OlivierMEVEL) August 27, 2022
The prefecture has not noted any particular clashes between residents and farmers.