The strong smell of chicken droppings coming from a farm forces Manacor City Council to act.

ManacorThe strong smell of chicken droppings, coming from the land of a well-known Manacor company in the sector, which this last week has transformed the air of the city of Manacor into a foul odor that must be managed and which, on rural properties, has prevented even basic activities such as hanging clothes out peacefully, has finally found a municipal response.

The City Council announced this Monday afternoon that it has transferred a complaint of possible malpractice in the management of chicken manure on a rural property in the municipality to the General Directorate of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development. The Court has not provided further details about which, although a photograph of it on a property in Ten Fin has been posted on its social networks.

According to reports from the Local Police and municipal services technicians, "on September 9, the dumping of chicken manure was detected on a plot in Manacor, and on the 15th of the same month (that is, today) it was found that the manure was still scattered, both on this farm and on a plot.

These circumstances would indicate that the 72 hours established for the burial of this type of waste would have been exceeded, as provided for in Law 3/2019, of January 31, agrarian of the Balearic Islands.

Justaní area

In any case, and according to this media outlet, one of the agricultural lands most affected by these chicken manure spills is located in the Justaní area, near the historic Manacor estate of Albocàsser, along the Son Fangos road. Residents of this and other farms in the municipality have been complaining to the City Council for days that the strong odors are preventing them from living normal lives.

At the same time, residents are very concerned that the feces leaks could reach their wells or nearby aquifers, and are therefore also demanding an investigation by Water Resources.

As a result of these actions, intense odors were recorded that have been generating complaints from residents, not only in the nearby area but have even reached, as we mentioned, the urban center of Manacor. "This has generated concern among citizens and has prompted the intervention of the authorities," the City Council now explains, recalling that, three years ago, it reported the poultry company to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Seprona (National Police Service) for similar incidents, a clear example of the improper management of livestock waste in the area.

Sebastià Llodrà Oliver, Local Police Delegate, stated that "the protection of the environment and citizen coexistence are a priority for this City Council. We will not allow practices that violate current regulations and cause harm to the population."

To ensure compliance with current regulations and the proper management of livestock waste, the City Council has sent all available documentation, "including reports and photographs, to the General Directorate, so that it can assess the situation and, where appropriate, adopt the corresponding measures within its jurisdiction."

Recurring odors

And although the stench began about five years ago, in May 2022, complaints about the foul odor that reached Manacor at night were already a recurring topic of conversation and discomfort. The culprit was once again the chicken manure that had been dumped by the ton in the Son Suau area (just behind Sant Cirga) next to the road between Manacor and Portocristo. The Manacor City Council reported the dumping to AMAS (Government Environmental Technicians) and the Directorate General of Water Resources.

As had already occurred in March and July 2020, chicken manure was dumped on land that, in theory, should be productive. This forced the Regional Ministry to open an investigation to determine whether the proportion of tons per square meter exceeded the limits permitted by agricultural law and whether the chicken manure was actually used as fertilizer for agricultural production, or had simply been dumped there as if it were a dunghill.