Outrage in Køge as Mayor Marie Stærke uncovers manipulated soil testing results from Zealand trucking company

Outrage is palpable as Køge’s Mayor, Marie Stærke, is presented with soil samples used by a trucking company in Zealand to assert that tons of earth dumped on a field outside Køge is clean. Stærke finds the situation unacceptable, stating, “I really think this is outrageous.” Original laboratory results, which were accessed, reveal that the testing results had been manipulated, indicating that the earth is actually contaminated.

Evidence shows that modifications were made to two samples, altering their classification from contaminated to clean. The samples in question are part of a case where seriously polluted soil, which was supposed to be transported to an approved treatment facility, instead ended up dumped on the couple’s field in Køge. The municipality was not informed about these soil transports.

The revelation came when a couple who acquired the property in 2022 suspected contamination, leading to the discovery of over 20,000 tons of polluted soil being deposited improperly—equivalent to the load of over 500 trucks.

Stærke argues for stricter regulations, increased monitoring, and harsher penalties for violations of environmental laws, pointing out the clear need for oversight given the complexity of soil relocation processes. Currently, local municipalities are responsible for ensuring contaminated soil is reported and sent to approved facilities, but there is no automatic notification to receiving municipalities, leaving oversight gaps.

Experts suggest that centralizing control and implementing GPS tracking for trucks could enhance monitoring. Stærke supports transferring oversight responsibilities to state or regional authorities, acknowledging the overwhelming task faced by municipalities in managing such significant issues.