Ongoing environmental issues at Tejn Harbor raise concerns in Denmark

There are ongoing environmental issues at Tejn Harbor, despite the construction of vacation homes in the northern area. The breakwater, which protects against strong waves, remains unrepaired even after the municipality received an order in 2021 to halt the discharge of the hazardous substance tributyltin (TBT) from the damaged structure.

Maria Reumert Gjerding, president of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, expressed her disbelief, stating that municipalities must react immediately to serious pollution issues. Helle Munk Ravnborg, head of the municipal Nature, Environment, and Planning Committee, described the situation as unacceptable, emphasizing that the construction of vacation homes should not adversely affect the environment.

The issue dates back to 2019 when local authorities discovered the leaching of heavy metals from Tejn Harbor’s outer pier during an inspection. The pier contains hazardous materials from the harbor’s excavation, including TBT, a substance previously used in ship antifouling paints but now banned due to its environmental impact.

Due to degradation of protective barriers, TBT leaches into the sea, prompting the municipality’s environmental department to issue an order in May 2021 for prompt repair. TBT has been shown to disrupt marine life and enter the food chain, causing severe abnormalities in species like oysters.

Despite allocating over 8 million kroner in the 2022 budget to secure the pier, construction of vacation homes in the same area has halted environmental remediation efforts due to conflicting activities.

The municipality is now re-evaluating the situation and plans to initiate another process to address the environmental contamination. There is hope that recent structural changes will help prevent similar issues in the future, although concerns remain regarding prioritization of construction over environmental protection.