These are the members who gave the explanations: Jesús Peña Martínez, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Basque Government; Ignacio Berraondo, Vice-Minister of Health of the Basque Government; Arkarazo Zabalaga, Environmental Technician; Joseba Bidauzaga, Deputy Director of Public Health of the Basque Government; Iñigo Elosegi, Managing Director of the Consortium of Puzolba

Dioxins and furans: health as a source of concern and indignation

Jeus Peña explained that the usual air measurements have been carried out every day. But the laboratories that study dioxin and furan are only two in the Spanish state: Madrid (CSIC) and Barcelona and "there is not much more in Europe". On February 9, the only sample was taken from a point closer to the landfill: "We did so, because we wanted to be guaranteed," he added. It will take the lab five days to get the results, and on February 14 the results of the laboratory accreditation tests were made public.

Since then, samples of between 4 and 5 points have been taken, the last in the evening of 16. "The results will be released on 20 or 21 January. Even if the fire is extinguished, we will maintain the recommendations we have made for health."

Joseba Bidauzaga: "Now you can relax a bit because the wind is in another direction"

The explanations of Joseba Bidauzaga were the ones that generated the most anger in public opinion, among others. He said that he is an epidemiologist and that 95% of dioxins are received by the body of food and 3% of the air, "although this type of fire represents an increase in the percentage received from the air". Despite the fact that the figures are 50 times higher than pollution in cities, he noted that "they are very small amounts" and that the risk is that they accumulate for a long time, as for years dioxins accumulate in fats and just over two weeks ago. "It has not been proven that dioxins that are now breathing can directly produce cancer. Other factors influence. Of course, whoever has cancer by the years will remember this fire, because patients tend to blame something." The public responded with great solemnity.

Another phrase from Bidauzaga, "in addition, you can now relax a bit because the wind is already going in another direction." There was a frightening whirlwind.

The amount of dioxins present at this time was downgraded by health technicians to respiratory safety, indicating that it cannot be proved, that the cigarette is introduced more easily, etc. This kind of response did not reassure the public.

Many homes don't send children to school

San Lorenzo College is the closest to the landfill and on February 18 health department technicians met with families to give health advice. The public has pointed out that many boys and girls have stopped going to class. A mother explained that she would also like to have her child at home, but that in order to go to work she has to send him to school, and has conveyed the anguish that produces him.

Women are the ones who have asked the most about the health of their relatives, and they have not received a direct answer: A mother has explained that her son has asthma and was forced to drown since the first day of the fire, in which he died. The toilets called him and answered him that they had no news, that they called 112 and that they answered him that "it is not serious". "I take her to Bilbao to spend the day. I have the windows and blinds closed, and as soon as I walked into the house in the evening, it starts to cough and cry. Coincidence? What should I do with my child? ". He did not get an answer.

Go out in the street, but not in front of dioxins

"We want to give a message of tranquillity and calm to the people who are waiting. What we have to avoid is being in front of dioxins, but we do not say that we cannot go out into the street. We have to continue with the normal life of every day. We have made all these recommendations so that they are guaranteed, not because on their own they will cause us great harm to health." The question put to him by the public on this subject was a very welcome one: "Do you say that you wanted to be guarantors, that they were based on the principle of precariousness, why then did you communicate those measures so late? Why not before the start of the fire? ".

Another question from the public was: "They say that the results of water and air control are nothing worrying and that they do not think the results of these are going to be serious. Why are so many data compilations and tests done then? If you don't expect to find something important? ".

Prohibition of the only house that markets products

Dioxin is the one that takes the most of the food. That is why the only producer who lives on the market of his products has seen it banned from doing so for a transitional period.