International Conference on Ecosystem Integrity in Europe: Mitigating Water Pollution, Mining Risks and Health Hazards
Beneath the soil of Stocamine in Alsace, 42,000 tonnes of hazardous industrial waste lie buried in former potash mines. Originally presented as a temporary storage solution, this waste now threatens the Rhine aquifer, one of Europe’s most important sources of drinking water, on which millions of people depend. The potential contamination is not only an environmental concern but a profound public health issue, with long-term consequences for local communities and future generations. The Stocamine case illustrates how extractive industries across Europe have often prioritized short-term profit over the health, environment, and heritage of minority and peripheral communities, leaving poisoned soils and polluted waters in their wake.
The international conference “Ecosystem Integrity in Europe: Mitigating Water Pollution, Mining Risks and Health Hazards” will take place on Saturday, November 1st, 2025, in Mulhouse and Stocamine, Alsace. It is designed to inform, connect, and act. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the risks posed by Stocamine and other mining legacies, connect local struggles with European and global movements for climate and environmental justice, and explore legal, political, and civic strategies to prevent this potential ecocide. The protection of water, health, and ecosystems is not just a technical issue, but a matter of rights, justice, and democracy.
The conference will be structured around two main panels. The first panel will introduce the issue through the experiences of local communities directly affected by the Stocamine site, while situating it in broader European challenges, including extractivism in minority regions. The second panel will focus on practical approaches for action, examining legal frameworks such as the EU Directive on Environmental Liability, the European Commission’s Ecocide Law initiative, and the Directive on the Protection of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. Participants will explore how civic engagement, policy intervention, and youth activism can prevent further harm and ensure community voices are heard.
In the afternoon, participants will visit the Stocamine mine area and the Potash Mine Museum, followed by an open debate to consolidate reflections and produce a policy document or manifesto as a concrete call to action.
Key issues to be discussed:
- Water: Protection of the Rhine aquifer
- Waste: Management, burial, and alternatives
- Health: Environmental and public health impacts
- Heritage: Preservation and transmission
- European perspective: Extractivism in minority regions, and the health and environmental costs borne by local communities
By participating, attendees will help transform Stocamine from a local concern into a European rallying point for environmental justice, intergenerational fairness, and the protection of water and ecosystems. This is more than a conversation about mining or waste management; it is a conversation about the future of communities, rights, and democracy across Europe.
Program
01 November
Opening Remaks
Introduction to the day’s objectives and context, with a brief presentation of the Stocamine case and the conference’s purpose to inform, connect, and act.
Speaker:
- Maylis Rossberg, president EFAy
- Hana Kreso, representing Coppieters Foundation
Panel 1 - Voices from the Ground
Understanding the local realities and the broader European context.
This first panel introduces the Stocamine issue through the history of the mine and the experiences of affected communities in Alsace, linking local struggles to wider environmental and political challenges in Europe.
Speakers:
- Laurent Roth, Member of Kingersheim’s Municipal Council, near the Stocamine site
- Philippe Elsass, Member of Rosheim’s Municipal Council, energy expert, and former Director of BRGM
- Mireia Quesada Martinez, Environmental scientist and educator
- Susanna Myllylä, Associate Professor in Environmental Policy, University of Eastern Finland
Coffee Break
Panel 2 – From Awareness to Action
Legal, scientific, and civic strategies to stop this ecocide before it happens.
This panel links the Stocamine case to environmental and health law, exploring how international frameworks, policy innovation, and civic engagement can drive accountability and prevent irreversible ecological harm.
Speakers:
- Carola Brand, World Youth for Climate Justice, EU Front Member
- Paola Vitale, Youth for Ecocide Law Core Team Member
- Maxence Helfrich, Secretary General, EFAY — Member of Jeunes Unser Land and Unser Land
Lunch in Mulhouse
Guided Tour – Carreau Rodolphe and the Mining Heritage of Alsace
This guided visit explores how the mines operated, the daily lives of the miners, and the environmental challenges left behind — including issues related to waste storage and the protection of the Rhine’s groundwater.
Closing Debate – A Collective Call to Action
Open discussion with all participants and speakers to summarise the day’s insights and draft a common statement or manifesto on the protection of water, health, and ecosystems.
Dinner in Mulhouse
Practicalities:
Date:
Saturday, 01 November 2025
Time:
09:00 – 20:00
Venue:
Mulhouse and Stocamine, Alsace, France.
Language:
The event will be conducted in English, although interpretation in French will be provided.
Registration:
To attend the event, registration is required via the following link:
Contact:
Media inquiries can be adressed to info@ideasforeurope.eu
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This event is a joint initiative between European Free Alliance Youth and Coppieters Foundation.
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This event is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the event nor for the opinions of the speakers.
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