An environmental protection association filed a complaint against X for pollution, intoxication and endangering others, after multiple collective food poisonings due to the consumption of contaminated oysters.
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Justice opened an investigation after receiving complaints in the case of contaminated oysters from the Arcachon basin, banned for sale since December 27, the Bordeaux prosecutor’s office announced on Friday January 12. “Investigations continue”specified the prosecution after the filing of a complaint against X for pollution, intoxication and endangering others by the Environmental Coordination of the Arcachon Basin (Ceba), an environmental protection association.
The association believes that “many knew”since November, that the oysters were contaminated but preferred to turn a blind eye to “save” sales from oyster farmers during the end-of-year holidays. This central period for the sector was marked in 2023 by numerous collective food poisonings from norovirus (responsible for gastroenteritis) among consumers.
“Poisonings that could be avoided”
The complaint points to the role of the wastewater sanitation network, managed by Siba (intercommunal union of the Arcachon basin). The latter also takes care of rainwater management. Recurrent overflows in the event of heavy rainfall lead to “often poisonings that could be avoided”according to the association, which affirms that “many knew”before December 27, that the sanitation network had polluted the waters of the Arcachon basin and thus deplores that the “precautionary principle” was not observed “as early as November”.
On December 29, another complaint was filed by the Arcachon Basin Water Defense Association (Adeba) created by oyster farmers. This time it targets Siba directly. The president of Adeba, Thierry Lafon, former head of the Arcachon Aquitaine regional shellfish farming committee and oyster farmer himself, also filed a complaint individually.
