The management of the plant, the largest cellulose producer in the country and located in the department of Durazno, had reported on August 16 an “incident” in the unloading area of the facility in Paso de los Toros.

It then publicly undertook to implement “all necessary corrective measures”.

The fine, which initially amounted to some US$40,500, was increased to US$182,000,000 because the Ministry of the Environment considered the company’s infractions to be serious.

The spill caused “an impact on the ecosystem of the Sauce stream and, to a lesser extent, on the water quality of the Negro River and the ecosystem at its mouth, as a result of the high pH of the water”, the ministerial report states.

The environmental resolution assures that the external communication of the incident was inadequate, as well as the operational control.

jrr/arm/mem/oo