Race car driver says dust and noise from quarries make life unbearable

Residents near gravel pits in Lithuania are enduring unbearable living conditions due to inadequate regulation of quarry operations, leading to constant noise and dust. Race car driver Antanas Juknevičius, who lives between two quarries in the Trakai district, described the situation as his "most painful experience." He stated that quarry operators work day and night, often disregarding permitted hours and even weekends.

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Our house in the Trakai district, where we live with our family, is located between two quarries. They work day and night, although according to the permits issued, they should only work on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. But here, the action takes place practically around the clock, often at night or even on weekends.

Juknevičius has been collecting evidence for years, noting that while fines are issued, they are insignificant. "Quarries are sacred cows that no one touches or punishes," he said, explaining that a 150-euro fine is easily offset by their operations. He added that the fines are so small they are essentially meaningless to the companies.

As the head of the Juodikiai community, Juknevičius has been working with other local communities for two years to advocate for updated quarry regulations. They propose a 300-meter sanitary zone between quarries and residential properties. Currently, operations can extend almost to property lines, making life difficult for residents.

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Quarries are sacred cows that no one touches or punishes. Their fine can be up to 150 euros, and our efforts to get them fined take a month and a half. They don't care. One tipper truck leaves, and all five fines they receive in a year are recouped for them.

"Living next to quarries is impossible. You have to keep your windows closed all the time, you can't sleep or socialize," Juknevičius explained. "The dust is such that you wipe the table on the terrace, and after 15 minutes, it's dirty again. We don't want to be there anymore." He noted that a neighbor sold her beautifully renovated house on a lakefront due to the conditions.

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Living next to quarries is impossible. You have to keep your windows closed all the time, you can't sleep or socialize. The dust is such that you wipe the table on the terrace, and after 15 minutes, it's dirty again. We don't want to be there anymore.

The issue has gained political traction, with a member of the Seimas's Environmental Protection Committee proposing legislative amendments to curb aggressive quarry expansion into residential areas and establish the 300-meter protection zone. This move offers a glimmer of hope for communities struggling with the daily reality of noise, dust, and damaged property.

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What we are experiencing with our family is my most painful experience. We don't even want to live in our home because of it. We try to go somewhere as often as possible and be there as little as possible.