Madrid City Council Hid Cancer Risks in Mobility Agents’ Equipment
Madrid, Spain – For almost four years, Madrid’s Mobility Agents have been unknowingly exposed to carcinogenic substances through the equipment they use daily to measure vehicle emissions. An internal report from Madrid Salud, issued in June 2022, explicitly warned of these dangers, yet the City Council, led by Borja Carabante, is accused of concealing this critical information and failing to implement necessary protective measures.
The Alarming Discovery: Opacimeters and Hidden Dangers
The controversy began in May 2022 when the Mobility Department acquired three opacimeters – portable devices used to analyze gases from vehicle exhaust pipes. Agents were instructed to insert these devices manually into exhaust pipes, directly inhaling toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons. This practice continued daily, without the required safety precautions.
Just one month later, in June 2022, Madrid Salud issued a report, accessed by Somos Madrid, detailing the significant risks associated with using gas analyzers and opacimeters on public roads. The report identified two primary dangers:
- Risk of being run over: Agents must stop vehicles and work near traffic. The report recommended prioritizing parking in hard shoulders or secluded areas and strict signaling protocols.
- Inhalation of gases and carcinogenic agents: Particularly from diesel vehicles with engines running, agents were exposed to toxic substances. A crucial preventive measure stipulated that no agent should perform this task for more than two hours a day, necessitating staff rotation.
Additionally, the report highlighted ergonomic and physical safety concerns, such as the moderate risk of burns from motorcycle exhaust pipes and the need for padded mats to protect agents’ knees. Despite these clear warnings, agents claim they never received the report, nor were they informed of the risks or provided with adequate protection.
The Cover-Up: “In the Drawer for Years”
According to agents, the report was emailed directly to the Deputy General Director, Virginia Torres Lirola, and her technical advisor, María Dolores Molera González. This means both officials were aware of the risks but allegedly kept the document hidden. It wasn’t until October 2025 that agents gained access to the report, describing it as having been “in a drawer for years” and its recommendations never applied.
“We were just told to carry out our duties, never knowing the dangers,” one affected agent stated anonymously. “They want to fix the damage now, but the negligence and dereliction of duty have already occurred.”
Insufficient Protection and Legal Ramifications
The Madrid Salud report recommended providing agents with appropriate personal protective equipment, including FFP2 respiratory masks, for protection against PM10 and PM2.5 particles. It also advised against remaining near exhaust pipes during measurements, positioning oneself upwind, and providing specific training on chemical and carcinogenic risks, along with heat-resistant gloves.
However, agents argue that even the recommended FFP2 masks are insufficient for the smaller particles found in diesel emissions, suggesting the need for more specific filters. “The City Council leadership knew all this since October 2025, but no one acted. Now they want to patch things up, but it’s too late,” an agent lamented.
Chema Sánchez, Secretary General of the Progresa union, believes these actions could constitute a violation of the Law on Prevention of Occupational Risks and potentially lead to criminal charges under Article 316 of the Penal Code. This article imposes prison sentences of six months to three years for employers who fail to provide necessary safety measures for their workers.
Calls for Accountability and Continued Denial
Mobility Agents are demanding explanations and the dismissal of those responsible, particularly the Deputy Director and the technical advisor. They also point fingers at Borja Carabante, the Mobility Delegate, citing a pattern of negligence.
When the situation gained media attention, Carabante stated that his team would meet with unions “to assess if conditions can be further improved,” asserting that agents were provided with necessary safety materials and that protocols from Madrid Salud were followed. However, union representatives claim this meeting was a “coincidence” and pre-arranged, not a direct response to the revelations.
Further irregularities include the alleged failure to conduct annual mandatory metrological verification of the opacimeters since their acquisition. Opposition parties, like Más Madrid, have also raised concerns, with councilor Esther Gómez highlighting that devices in the northern unit had been non-functional for six months due to a lack of protective measures and questioning the absence of medical examinations for agents.
The City Council’s response remains largely unforthcoming, leaving agents to grapple with the long-term health consequences of their exposure and the systemic failures that allowed it to persist.
Unanswered Questions
- Why did the Madrid City Council conceal the Madrid Salud report for nearly four years?
- Who is directly responsible for the decision to withhold this critical information from Mobility Agents?
- What specific measures will be implemented to ensure the current and future safety of agents, including adequate protective equipment and medical monitoring?
- Will there be an independent investigation into the alleged negligence and potential criminal liability of city officials?
- What compensation or support will be offered to agents who have been exposed to carcinogenic substances?
What’s Next?
This newspaper has reached out to the Madrid City Council’s Mobility Department for further comment but has not yet received a response. The unions representing the Mobility Agents are considering legal action, and the opposition continues to press for accountability and transparency.
