The justice dismissed residents of the industrial complex of Fos-sur-Mer, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, who had attacked three industrial groups for neighborhood disturbance, considering that these nuisances resulted from decisions on which it is “impossible to go back “, we learned on Tuesday from their lawyer.
This judgment, dated May 4 and which AFP was able to consult, is in line with a first series of decisions from April and July 2022 on similar complaints. The court had judged these nuisances to be “normal” because they resulted from a “societal choice” in favor of the industrialization of this large industrial-port area (ZIP), on the shores of the Mediterranean, near Marseille.
The seven plaintiffs appeal
The seven dismissed plaintiffs will appeal, said their lawyer, Me Julie Andreu. A total of 14 residents of this industrial center, one of the largest in Europe, had taken legal action in 2019 against companies, including the steelmaker ArcelorMittal and the oil group Esso.
They denounced “living conditions seriously impacted” by the pollution, some having developed chronic illnesses, and also invoked “prejudice of anxiety”.
They are based in particular on two studies showing higher than average rates of chronic diseases in the vicinity of Fos-sur-Mer, as well as the contamination of locally produced food. The state has repeatedly pinned industrialists in the area for regulatory violations.