"No to the concreting of meadows": some 200 people demonstrated Wednesday evening in Saint-Georges-sur-l'Aa (North), about twenty kilometers from Dunkirk, to protest against the plan to set up a factory in fries, pointing to an "ecological aberration".
Specializing in frozen potato-based products, especially French fries, the Belgian company Clarebout has submitted an environmental authorization request and a building permit on a 20-hectare site straddling the towns of Bourbourg and Saint- Georges-sur-l'Aa. This factory should eventually hire some 320 employees.
“Why are they setting up this factory so close to our village? Did they believe there were no houses in Saint-Georges? ", Annoyed, among the demonstrators, Daniel, resident of this small village of 300 inhabitants renamed symbolically" Saint-Georges-sur-Friture ". "We are coming to defend our corner of greenery," says Véronique, 59, further on.
"Rains of grease" and "odors of grit"
Based on the testimonies of local residents living near a Clarebout factory in Belgium, the demonstrators are worried about the “nuisance” that they would cause such a factory: “rain of grease”, “odors of graillon”, “pollution light and sound linked to the 24-hour activity of factories ”,“ back and forth of heavy goods vehicles, “air pollution caused by discharges from factories”.
"Should we add olfactory, atmospheric, visual and sound pollution in the industrial area of Dunkirk, which is already the source of many pollutions?" ", Also questioned EELV in a press release in May. "The environmental authority has already given a first favorable opinion to the project", however assures AFP a spokesperson for this company which achieved a turnover of 661 million euros in 2018 and employs some 1,700 collaborators in Belgium.
In addition, this new factory must be set up "in an area dedicated to industrial activity, an ZGI area (large industries area) which represents a total of 160 ha, the Clarebout project does not come to rest on a surprise land, it is a subdivision for factories ”, he added.
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