Residents of the Cartagena neighbourhood of Los Mateos are once again reporting toxic dust drifting into their homes from the municipal building site Unidad de Actuación UA1 According to elDiario.es on 26 August 2026, those affected and local associations presented recent private tests suggesting elevated lead levels in household dust and – according to the platform – also in blood samples from some residents. The PSOE had already called for, on 21 August 2026 additional medical examinations in the worst-affected areas and had previously warned of exposed asbestos residues.
The background is documented: on 8 June 2023 the municipal company Casco Antiguo S.A. acquired the UA1 plot to build around 40 social housing units there, funded by programmes from Next Generation EU. Reports containing serious warnings were already available before the purchase – including an assessment by the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (March 2023) and an external assessment dated 1 June 2023. Both cited greatly elevated concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic in the soil, in some cases up to 2,600 times above the reference values set by the Region Murcia.
The matter is politically contentious. In 2025, the city council defended the legality of the transaction and rejected the establishment of an inquiry commission; municipal technicians certified that the price and procedure complied with the rules. At the same time, anger grew in Los Mateos over dust pollution and the lack of safety measures at the site. The latest reporting on 26 August 2026 has intensified the dispute.
The presence of heavy-metal-containing materials in the UA1 area is documented in several technical reports. The health risks this poses depend on exposure, substance and concentration, and require medical and epidemiological assessment. The Ayuntamiento of Cartagenais responsible for securing the municipal plot, while the Region of Murcia sets the soil reference values.
The key outstanding question is what short-term protective measures the city will now take – such as covering contaminated areas in a way that minimises dust, securing the site and removing exposed deposits – and what credible timetable there will be for a full clean-up. What is clear is that the new allegations and the tests presented are increasing pressure on the administration and health authorities to provide transparent information, commission independent investigations and effectively protect the affected neighbourhood in Los Mateos.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).