NERVA is a small village in Spain’s Huelva province, home to around 5,000 residents, that has spent more than two decades living in the shadow of a massive hazardous waste landfill located just a few metres from the town. What was once presented as a development project has evolved into a profound environmental and social crisis, leaving lasting consequences for both the landscape and the local community.
Over the years, thousands of tonnes of toxic waste from across Spain and Europe have been deposited at the site, while regional and national authorities have failed to effectively address the issue. A lucrative international hazardous waste trade, combined with weak oversight and regulation, has turned Nerva into a symbol of Europe’s waste management policies and the disproportionate burden placed on small communities.
The story reaches a turning point with the arrival of toxic waste from Montenegro, raising urgent questions about responsibility, solidarity, and the limits of environmental justice. Through the story of one village, NERVA exposes the hidden mechanisms of the global waste industry and reminds us that environmental consequences never stop at national borders.
