For almost a year, the residents of the Trata neighbourhood in Kočevje have been enduring hellish nights. They are unable to sleep due to the noise from the nearby wood plant, with noise levels sometimes exceeding the legally permitted limits in residential areas by up to twice the allowable levels. Noise ranging from 70 to 87 decibels (dBA) disrupts their sleep, and even closed and well-insulated windows don't help. During a visit to Kočevje, the residents of Trata showed us results from one of the measurements they've been conducting regularly since the factory started operating last summer. The results prove that the noise has exceeded permissible levels.

The law allows noise levels up to 45 dBA at night and ten decibels higher during the day. Critical noise levels at night are exceeded at 53 dBA and 63 dBA, as recorded in the Official Gazette. During the day, most residents of Trate are at work and have somewhat gotten used to the noise from the wood-chopping workshop a hundred meters away. However, the nighttime noise is unacceptable to them. They state that the same level of noise continues during holidays and weekends. They recorded the noise for several days and nights and sent us some recordings to provide a clearer and more objective perspective.

Wood Dust Causes Respiratory Issues, and Noise Affects Health

“It's impossible to live in such an environment. The noise has significantly affected our health and greatly worsened our living conditions,” the residents of Trate state. Besides the noise, they are constantly bombarded with wood dust carried by the wind from the wood pallet production plant. Due to the dust particles in the air, the residents of Trata experience respiratory problems, and the wood dust infiltrates their homes as well as embeds itself in the furniture.

“There is so much wood dust that I could clean, sweep the yard, and wipe the car every day,” describe the first neighbours Branka Vegi and Andreja Kavšek. They live a stone's throw from the Kočevje craft zone Lik, where the company Marumi operates its wood pellet production and generates heat and electricity. The locals have posted pictures of the dust fallout from the factory on their Facebook group.

Both women are members of the initiative “Borci za Trato” (Fighters for Trata), which demands that the company “reduce the noise to levels that are non-disruptive and comply with the law.” Members of the initiative also demand protection from wood particles and dust. They have repeatedly confronted the director of Marumi, Marko Kos, and local authorities with these demands. However, according to the residents, the agreements and deadlines for the company to address the issues have not been met. “Just empty promises,” they say.

Environmental Inspector: Marumi Violated the Environmental Protection Act

The residents sought help from the Minister of the Environment, Bojan Kumer, demanding the removal of the environmental inspector from the proceedings against Marumi and requesting a joint inspection by all relevant inspection services. Consequently, on February 7th this year, the environmental inspector issued a decree requiring the company to “conduct initial noise measurements in the environment for the noise source and perform them at maximum operational capacity,” with a deadline of “45 days from the delivery of the document.”

The inspector, who has been monitoring the company since last September, found during the last inspection in January that stable operating conditions were already established. This means that the company should have conducted the initial environmental noise assessment. Since they failed to do so, they have not met their obligations to the inspectorate and have violated provisions of the Environmental Protection Act. The inspector set the deadline considering “the protection of public interest, as the nearest residential buildings are close to the noise source (a machine operating outdoors).”

Due to the disturbing noise and dust, residents of Trata have repeatedly sought help from the Municipality of Kočevje, stating “they can no longer live and function normally in their homes.” With the aforementioned decree, the inspector effectively shortened the deadline for noise measurements by half a year!

According to German media Deutsche Welle, excessive noise can cause metabolic disorders, diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart attacks. The World Health Organization ranks noise as a risk factor for premature death right after air pollution. The right to a healthy living environment is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, which states in Article 72: “Everyone has the right to a healthy living environment by the law. The state shall ensure a healthy living environment. For this purpose, the law shall determine the conditions and manner of conducting economic and other activities.”

Deputy mayor Andrej Mladenovič, who is following this issue, stated after the latest decree: “We have given the company until the municipal session on March 21 to conduct official noise measurements. The limit values are clear; if they exceed them, they must resolve it! Measurements by an independent competent institution will be the only indicator of whether the company complies with the law. In case of violations, the company will have another four months to rectify them, otherwise, the Ministry of the Environment will take over the matter.”

Kočevje's Mayor and Marumi's Owner Share a Political History

The power of capital on one side and the powerlessness of residents on the other? We have confronted Marko Kos, director of Marumi, with this question. After a two-week overhaul that brought peace back to Trata for almost a year, wood pellet production resumed last week. According to Karmen Arko, president of the initiative Fighters for Trata, this marks the continuation of environmental violence against the residents of Trata. “When we started operations, we began receiving noise complaints. We have been collaborating with the civil initiative Fighters for Trata all along, as our intention was never to do things our way.”

One of the possible solutions is a protective fence, which Marumi built between the external wood dryer system and residential houses. However, it was initially not entirely effective, so the company plans to heighten the fence. Kos showed us the noise reduction measures at the plant. “We built a protective fence, reducing the noise by 80 or 90 per cent. Once completed, we will order official measurements to determine the actual effectiveness of the noise barrier and all other implemented measures.”

They also plan to insulate the pipes through which pellets move, further reducing noise. Since the main noise source in the company is the log crushing mill, they initially considered relocating part of the production. Instead, they decided to purchase pre-milled products from Austria. According to the agreement with the Municipality of Kočevje, the mill will now only operate occasionally, mostly once a month. To prevent the spread of fine sawdust into the neighbourhood, the warehouse has been covered with a tent. Additionally, the Municipality of Kočevje planted a green barrier of 1,300 fast-growing trees and 500 shrubs between the industrial zone and the Trata neighbourhood.

However, members of the initiative Fighters for Trata believe this is insufficient, noting that the noise can be heard all day and night.

Unusual Lack of Environmental Permit for Marumi's Operations

The residents of Trata also find it strange that the company does not need an environmental permit to operate and was not required to commission an environmental impact study when obtaining a building permit. Is the company privileged due to alleged connections with mayor Vladimir Prebilič and the owner of Marumi, as some suggest? Marumi is majority-owned by Rupert Gole, a former mayor of Šentrupert, who, along with his then-colleague, Kočevje mayor Prebilič, founded the independent mayors' association Movement for Slovenia before the 2011 parliamentary elections. Director Marko Kos denies any collusion with the mayor. “I see Mr. Prebilič once a year, around New Year's. Now, while we're addressing this issue, he has visited me maybe five times, but only to resolve matters.”

The Municipality of Kočevje is also indignant about the insinuations. The deputy mayor assured us that the entrepreneur is not receiving special treatment. “The entrepreneur bought the plot from a private owner, and we were pleased with his arrival because it involves green technology. Like all major investors in the area, we partially waived the municipal contribution fee.” The deputy mayor recently measured the noise levels with his device and assured us that they were below the legally permitted limits.

Division Within the Initiative and Threats of Legal Action

As is often the case in Slovenia, the fight for a decent quality of life for the residents of Trata has led to typical Slovenian division. Instead of unity and a common goal for a higher quality of life, rifts have appeared among the neighbours. Within the initiative, which was supposed to work in unison for the benefit of all residents without hindering municipal and economic development, a split occurred allegedly due to private interests. As a result, there are now two initiatives in the Trata neighborhood. A larger, more tolerant one, and a smaller one led by Karmen Arko, which has split off into the initiative Fighters for Trata. This group is described as aggressive and unwilling to compromise.

Director Marko Kos confirms that he has been cooperating with the first initiative since the construction phase and has followed all their suggestions and instructions, which the initiative also confirms. “The second civil initiative, however, is obstructing me, despite my openness and availability. I have emphasized many times that I am here practically every day from seven to three, yet no one from the initiative Fighters for Trata has visited me,” Kos laments.

Karmen Arko, president of the initiative Fighters for Trata, explains that she founded her initiative because she and her supporters did not agree with the solution to “just get used to the situation” and are advocating for the complete shutdown of the plant due to noise and dust. She supports this with the fact that the initiative Fighters for Trata “collected over 200 signatures against Marumi's wood pallet produciton.” She also predicts that the dispute will likely go to court, with 28 residents of Trata planning to claim €63,000 in damages from the company. This claim covers only a limited period of operation, so they will also seek compensation for the remaining operational period. The exact amount of the new claim is not yet known.

Is this a desire for financial gain or a genuine issue of noise disturbance driving people to the brink of despair? The other initiative, which is negotiating with the company parallel to Arko's group, told us they do not intend to sue, as they are working together to find a solution that benefits all parties. While noise is indeed a major health risk factor, they will wait for the legally mandated deadlines by which the company must reduce noise and prevent the spread of sawdust before taking any action.

The director of Marumi, who employs ten local residents, has already shown a willingness to improve the living conditions in the area affected by the industrial zone with various noise-reduction measures, as explained to us. That the noise from the company is decreasing is confirmed by a recording made by our cameraman, Matej, who recorded sound in Trata for two consecutive days after the factory resumed operations. Whether it is below the legal limit will need to be verified by official measurements that exclude other environmental noise sources.

The cards will be laid out at the beginning of spring when Marumi must present official noise measurements to the inspectorate, local authorities, and residents. This will determine the company's future and the residents' justification for their lawsuit.