The image of negligence: polluted by chemicals, a lagoon turns pink in Patagonia
Sylvie Claire / July 26, 2021
A lagoon of Patagonia kept on Sunday its pink tint due to the spilling of chemicals by fishing companies of the region, a phenomenon which worries the local populations in this region of the south of Argentina.
For us, it is the image of the negligence of the authorities of the province. Those who should control are those who authorize the poisoning of the populations, denounced the ecologist Pablo Lada, questioned by the AFP.
The Corfo lagoon, which covers 10 to 15 hectares, is located 30 km from Trelew, a city of 120,000 inhabitants where he lives, in the province of Chubut.
This hue is explained by the presence of sodium sulfite, an antibacterial preservative used to store langoustines before export, which has contaminated the groundwater of the Chubut River.
Residents of the area have also complained of foul odors and insect infestations.
A company (which transports effluents from fishing companies) has been authorized to dump liquids into the Corfo lagoon. The reddish color does not cause any damage and in a few days it will disappear, said Juan Micheloud, head of environmental control in the province last week.