The Catalan High Court has ruled in the long-running dispute over the Cogulló salt waste mountain in Sallent (Barcelona), ordering the local council and mining company Iberpotash to dismantle 45 million tonnes of accumulated residues. The ruling ends a 20-year legal saga: the court rejected Iberpotash’s final appeal and confirmed its obligation to restore the affected area.
The conflict began in the early 2000s, when residents of the Rampinya neighborhood raised concerns about the growing salt dump created by Iberpotash, a subsidiary of Israel’s ICL group. The company, which operated the Vilafruns and Cabanasses mines, continued expanding the waste site despite local opposition. In 2007, neighbors formally requested the removal of the residues and environmental restoration, citing legal requirements. The town hall took no action, and the dump kept growing, so residents filed an administrative lawsuit and initially won their case.
The legal process became a cycle of appeals and counter-appeals. Both the Sallent council and Iberpotash challenged the first verdict, but the Catalan High Court upheld it. The Supreme Court also dismissed subsequent appeals. When the ruling remained unenforced, residents sought an order for its forced execution, prompting another round of legal maneuvers. The courts consistently sided with the neighborhood association. The latest decision leaves no further avenues for appeal. The residents’ lawyer, Climent Fernández, said it was the eighth consecutive ruling in their favor.
The salt dump’s environmental impact has remained a concern, with mining activity linked to increased salinity in the Llobregat river. Iberpotash, which employs more than 700 people directly and supports hundreds more indirectly, has faced sustained opposition locally and from environmental groups, as well as scrutiny from the public prosecutor’s office. The company’s last permit to add waste to the mountain expired in 2019, and no further dumping has occurred since.
The civil case appears settled, but a separate criminal investigation into alleged ecological offenses related to the Vilafruns and Cabanasses mines is still ongoing. Its outcome could have further implications for the company and the region.
The situation in Sallent reflects the difficult balance between industrial activity and environmental responsibility in Catalonia. Similar tensions have surfaced elsewhere in Spain. In one case, Ceuta faced criticism over conditions in a migrant camp after severe flooding. Both cases show the challenges authorities face in responding to local demands for accountability and environmental protection.
Iberpotash’s operations have been economically impressive to the Bages region, and the legal precedent set by this case may shape future disputes over industrial waste and environmental standards across Spain. The court’s decision requires public and private actors to comply with restoration mandates, reinforcing the judiciary’s role in upholding environmental law.
