A magical color but a much sadder reality.
Corfo Lagoon, located in Patagonia, southern Argentina, has turned pink due to pollution.
Fishing companies dumped their waste in the lagoon, in particular an industrial liquid composed of sodium sulphite, allowing to preserve the shrimps, which gave this color to the water.
Companies that transport the effluents of fishing companies are allowed to dump their waste into the Corfo lagoon.
Companies authorized to dump their waste
"The law orders the treatment of these liquids before being discarded," recalls the environmental engineer and virologist Federico Restrepo.
“An agreement has been made with a company (which transports the effluents of fishing companies) to discharge liquids into the Corfo lagoon.
The reddish color does not cause damage and in a few days it will disappear, ”said the environmental control officer of the province, Juan Micheloud.
In disagreement, the planning secretary of the municipality of Trelew, Sebastián de la Vallina, replied: “Something so serious cannot be minimized.
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Foul odors and overgrowth of insects
Almost 6,000,000 people live in the province of Chubut, whose economy is focused on agriculture, agribusiness, fishing and tourism.
Residents have reported foul odors and a proliferation of insects, among other damage to the environment.
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