"It's the deal of the century" for the region: the association Eau et Rivières de Bretagne (ERB), fighting in particular against pollution with toxic green algae, filed a double appeal against the State for "inaction in the face of pollution of water by nitrates "before the administrative court of Rennes, she announced on Monday.
Filed on October 1, it calls for “the taking of all useful measures” to limit nitrate pollution and “reparation for ecological and moral damage”, estimated by the association at 3.2 million euros.
Since 1971, tons of green algae which, as they rot, release hydrogen sulphide, a deadly gas when exposed to high concentrations, have washed up on Brittany's beaches every year.
All the info is here: https://t.co/XiGfwDoceQ
– Water and Rivers of Brittany (@Eauetrivieres) October 10, 2022
According to a 2021 report by the Court of Auditors, this proliferation of green algae is "more than 90% of agricultural origin" in this region, where the use of nitrogen fertilizers has increased sharply from the 1960s, and which now has 140,000 jobs in the food industry.
In the soil, the nitrogen contained in these fertilizers is transformed into nitrates, the concentration of which in Breton rivers rose from less than 5 mg/litre in the 1960s to more than 50 mg/l on average in the 1990s, worth two convictions to France for violating European legislation, in 2012 and 2013. This rate currently stands at 31.7 mg/l on average in the region - well above the 10 mg/l which would allow, according to the scientists, to see the end of the tunnel.
The "repeated failures" of the state
With this appeal, the association wants to "touch the portfolio of the State", indicated the director of ERB Arnaud Clugery during a press briefing, underlining "the repeated shortcomings in the commitment of (this one) in the fight against nitrogen fertilization”.
Read alsoBrittany: a “very significant proliferation” of green algae in 2021
In 2021, the Administrative Court of Rennes canceled the 6th Regional Action Plan for the fight against green algae, asking the State to review its copy by adding "any useful additional measure to control nitrogen fertilization" in farming.
However, the new plan, which must be presented this Friday to the regional council of Brittany, is only "the continuity" of the previous one, instead of the "change of gear, the 180° turn" expected, explains Estelle Le Guen, responsible for the agriculture mission at the association.
Contacted by AFP, the Brittany region indicated that it would "not comment" on an appeal "directed against the State".