Torremolinos investigates another flytipping incident in its sierra

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Forest rangers have already located those responsible for illegally dumping building materials in a similar incident from last summer

José Rodríguez Cámara

Torremolinos

Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 14:33

Torremolinos town hall is investigating an illegal dump in the Sierra de Torremolinos mountain range that was discovered and reported last Saturday.

The investigation is being handled by the 'guarda rural', the rural wardens and forest rangers belonging to the municipal department for the environment. Regarding this reckless abandonment of waste, mayor Margarita del Cid, expressed her disgust and resolve: "This is how our mountains looked at first light this morning. But this doesn't end here: we're already investigating and identifying the culprits responsible for this....and we're going to catch them."

This is the third time since last July that the local authorities have been involved in this type of action. At the beginning of that month last summer, thousands of lighters were found in an open field surrounded by vegetation, much of it already dry, together with cardboard and plastic packaging, in an ambient temperature exceeding 30C, on the municipal border between Torremolinos and Malaga city itself.

The first thing the forest rangers assigned to the municipality of Torremolinos had to do was accurately pinpoint the accumulation of hazardous waste on the map. Once the illegal dump's geolocation was known, it became clear that it was actually located on land within the city boundaries of Malaga. From there, the collaboration protocol between the two municipalities involved was set in motion and the corresponding teams and machinery - in this case, from Malaga, as the plot of land to be cleared was located there - soon arrived.

Again in July, according to a report obtained by SUR, on the 24th, during a routine inspection in the border area between the Pinar de los Manantiales pine grove and the Molino de Inca botanical garden, the rural ranger team came across an accumulation of waste associated with interior décor work. There were paint cans, used rollers, protective plastic sheeting and signage - all materials that, as the report noted, "pose a serious risk of chemical contamination to the soil and groundwater, as well as negatively impacting the flora and fauna of the area".

The investigation revealed that the waste came from the renovation of a commercial premises located in Malaga city.

Thanks to this service, in addition to identifying and initiating sanction proceedings against the offending company, the natural site will be fully restored to its original state.

Legal framework

It is worth noting that the task of the rangers and wardens assigned to the mountain range, in accordance with Law 4/2024 of 8 November, is to provide technical support for forestry and environmental management, including surveillance, protection, inspection and collaboration in the management of protected natural areas, public domain lands and landscapes. Thus, they are responsible for ensuring compliance with the laws and other provisions of the judicial system relating to the conservation of nature and the environment, the use of natural resources, forests, protected fauna and flora, hunting and fishing, forest fires, environmental quality, livestock trails and roads, among others.