Uroš Macerl, an organic farmer from Slovenia, successfully stopped one of the largest manufacturer of building materials in the world, Lafarge, from spewing hazardous industrial waste in his community. Uroš rallied support to fight one of the dirtiest industrial processes on the planet, cement production and took his fight to the European Commission. Against all odds, Uroš forced the plant to shut down in 2015.
For decades, air pollution from local manufacturing operations had been settling over the narrow valleys in central Slovenia’s historically industrial towns. Dangerous emissions affected local farmers, forests, wildlife, and people. Cancer rates in the region outpaced the rest of the country; children who lived there were twice as likely to suffer from chronic respiratory illnesses.
French-Swiss construction giant Lafarge Cement began incinerating over 100 tons of hazardous industrial waste daily on the doorstep of Uroš’s farm. Uroš took Lafarge and the complicit Slovenian government to the European Union, and wouldn’t give up until the kiln closed down for good.
Please send a message thanking Uroš for his fight against Lafarge Cement.
SumOfUs members and partners in France helped expose Lafarge's financial support for ISIS, which lead to the CEO's resignation and the city of Paris scrapping a deal with the company. Lafarge is a colossus, and seems determined to stop at nothing for a profit -- but we've already proven that they're no match for international people power!
More information
Goldman Environmental Prize. 24 April 2017.