More than 60 thousand liters of diesel oil leaked from the tank cars of a Central Atlantic Railway (FCA) convoy that derailed on Tuesday, April 26, in the Guapimirim Environmental Protection Area (Apa), in Guanabara Bay, Rio, Brazil.
Technicians from the State Environmental Studies Foundation (Feema), the State Superintendency of Rivers and Lakes (Serla), the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), and the FCA continue their efforts to clean up the area.
Despite containment barriers, the diesel oil has spread to important areas of mangrove swamps and crab spawning grounds. On Friday, April 29, the FCA got a 48-hour deadline to remove all the oil that was spilled in the reserve or be liable to a daily fine of US$ 39.4 thousand (100 thousand reais), as determined by the court.
The court also ordered the FCA to assist the families of the fishermen harmed by the pollution.
The company’s lack of structure to prevent this type of accident drew criticism from the executive secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Cláudio Langone.
He said that the Ministry will evaluate the company’s history of environmental accidents to analyze whether it is capable of continuing to operate in the transportation of this type of product.
Agência Brasil
