A Patagonian lagoon retained its pink hue on Sunday July 25 due to the dumping of chemicals by fishing companies in the region, a phenomenon that worries local populations in this region of southern Argentina.
“For us, it is the image of the negligence of the authorities of the province.
Those who should control are those who allow the poisoning of populations, ”
denounced the ecologist Pablo Lada, questioned by AFP.
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The Corfo Lagoon, which covers 10 to 15 hectares, is located 30 km from Trelew, a town of 120,000 inhabitants where he lives, in the province of Chubut. This color is explained by the presence of sodium sulphite, an antibacterial preservative used for the storage of langoustines before export, which contaminated the groundwater of the Chubut River. Locals have also complained of foul smells and the proliferation of insects.
“A company
(which transports the effluent from fishing companies)
has been authorized to discharge liquids into the Corfo lagoon. The reddish color does not cause damage and in a few days it will disappear, ”
Juan Micheloud, responsible for environmental control of the province
,
said last week.
