Residents in the Vale da Lama area of Silves once again demanded an end to the emission of smoke from the local cork factory of the Amorim Group, protesting the successive delays in resolving the problem.
“The several dozen residents are losing confidence in the company, after it promised to resolve the problem in 2023,” Nuno Neves, spokesperson for the residents said, at the end of a meeting on Friday 12th July, at Silves City Council.
CLICK HERE to see a video of how the area is affected with smoke.
The residents, who formed a civic movement called “The Factory’s Neighbours”, claim that Corticeira Amorim Cork Insulation did not comply with the plan presented to the City Council and the Algarve Regional Development Coordination Commission (CCDR), to eliminate smoke by the end of August 2023.
The emission of smoke and noise from the factory dedicated to the production of cork insulation agglomerates and located in Vale da Lama have been causing complaints from residents for several years.
According to Nuno Neves, the company committed today - in yet another periodic meeting with the CCDR, Silves City Council and residents - “to put an end to smoke by June 2025”.
“The company claimed problems with the installation of special filters to eliminate smoke, but promised that the matter is being addressed and will be resolved next year,” he added.
Residents' complaints led the municipality to take the initiative of acting as a mediator between the cork company, residents, the CCDR of the Algarve and the Pestana Group, with a golf course also affected by the smoke.
Nuno Neves explained that “the problem was not completely resolved”, but that “there was a reduction in white smoke and a reduction in noise”.
To demand an end to the fumes and the “environmental discomfort they cause”, the movement, made up of residents living near the factory, is holding gatherings at the entrance to the Chamber on the days when the meetings are held.
The spokesperson added that "residents' trust in the company has been decreasing, after the commitment to put an end to the problem was largely exceeded", but "they will calmly await the new date set".
However, he said, a new meeting has already been scheduled for the beginning of November, so that Corticeira Amorim can take a new look at the situation.
Photo from video by Poluicao Silves
