The Lanzarote Cabildo has said that it wishes to prohibit the export of volcanic gravel after three tons were discovered to be heading to Germany.
The Guardia Civil’s nature protection unit, Seprona, and the Cabildo’s environmental department were alerted that the material was awaiting export at Puerto de los Marmoles. However, when they investigated, they discovered that such exports are entirely legal.
The gravel, known locally as rofe or picón, was extracted near Maciot by a licenced company and was apparently purchased for landscaping by a boutique hotel in Germany.
The Cabildo’s environment councillor Samuel Martín, said that the island government wished to ban the export of gravel in the same way that the export of sand is prohibited from the island.