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A Change.org petition has so far raised almost 1,500 signatures of those opposed to the planned lithium battery plant on rustic land in Pollensa. The project is said to pose "a direct threat to the environment, public health, and the future of the island". Organisers stress that they are not opposed to progress, but demand that renewable energy projects be developed with planning and respect for the land. A meeting last week at the Club Pollença was followed by a protest involving around 100 people near the site of the proposed plant. The mayor, Marti March, and other members of the ruling administration supported the protest. As well as the petition, a barrage of submissions and objections have been fired off to the regional government; the public consultation phase ends in the middle of November. Perceived risks to public health include causing cancer and Alzheimer's, while there are fears about fire and flooding; the Sant Jordi torrent, which is prone to flooding, is nearby. There has been criticism of the apparent secrecy surrounding the project on a 3,000 square metre site with sixteen battery containers. No one was aware of the plans, including the town hall, until they appeared in the Official Bulletin. The mayor is of the view that if objections are lodged and a sector of civil society has demonstrated its opposition, the government and the Seville-based developer will have to take note and "reconsider". March adds that the project is "in the hands" of the government, whose decisions on matters related to the use of land are "very debatable and open to criticism".
