French waste management company Veolia is facing allegations of severe pollution in Colombia. Reportedly, a 20-hectare landfill managed by the company since 2019 has been polluting the waters of San Silvestre, a wetlands region of just 12km from Barrancabermeja, Santander Department.
An article published by British newspaper The Guardian revealed that local fishermen have reported mass deaths of fish and other animals in the area. In the investigation, the newspaper spoke with local fishermen who explained that five years ago it was common to catch more than 100 fish a day. Now, a good day consists of catching 15 fish.
The San Silvestre wetlands are an environmentally protected area which is surrounded by vibrant flora and fauna, interlaced with a network of infrastructure consisting of streams and waterways.
NGO Global Witness accuses Veolia of deliberately causing severe pollution in Colombia
A recent report from Global Witness, an international NGO that investigates environmental and human rights abuses, accused the French multinational of dumping liquid toxic waste into the streams and waterways of the wetlands.
The report makes very serious accusations, as it states that the NGO found a high concentration of heavy metals in water sources near the landfill, including mercury 25 times over the safe limit. Exposure to unsafe amounts of mercury is associated with a variety of health complications, which include impacts on pregnant women and infant brain development.
https://twitter.com/andosc1/status/1308338947744038912
The local population had already raised concerns over increased malformations in newborns and increased health complications in newborns and young Children. Veolia has already disputed the claims made by the NGO, as they shared internal data which showed no presence of Mercury.
Despite this claim, Global Witness commissioned expert analysis which concluded that the videos of testing provided by the French multinational showed “egregious and shameless malpractice,” which does not allow for the landfill to be dismissed as the source.
The landfill receives almost 150 tonnes of daily waste from Barrancabermeja
Barrancabermeja is located in Colombia’s oil-rich region. This has caused issues of their own, as decades of continued extraction had already compromised the quality of water in the region. The implications for the landfill, however, are more severe, as it not only manages “regular waste,” but in many cases it receives waste from the many oil refineries in the region.
Contamination in the San Silvestre wetlands is presumed to be extremely severe, as the wetlands are 12km (7.5 miles) from the landfill, and many of its streams and waterways encircle the site. The issue at hand, however, is that leachate from the landfill falls into a waterway called Caño Moncholo, which flows into the El Zarzal stream.
This stream is a crucial tributary in a system that supplies drinking water to Barrancabermeja and nearby communities, an area inhabited by almost 200,000 people.
Leonardo Granados, a lawyer in Barrancabermeja head of the local environmental organization San Silvestre Green, told Global Witness, “Veolia’s actions are those of an environmental criminal,” adding, “The landfill must be closed because studies have shown that continuing its operation jeopardises the future of the San Silvestre wetlands. This area is designated for environmental preservation, and we’re fighting for species at risk, the ecosystem, and our biodiversity.”
La empresa de aseo VEOLIA está contaminando con lixiviados la ciénaga san silvestre. pic.twitter.com/basCXBjzJf
— Leonardo Granados Cárdenas (@Leonard25642999) February 5, 2025
Local newborns are among those affected by continued pollution from the Veolia-managed landfill
The Guardian’s investigation into the situation in the San Silvestre wetlands revealed that local newborns are amongst those most affected by continued pollution in the area. According to local pediatrician Dr Yesid Blanco, he has recorded 27 cases of Job, a rare skin condition that affects one in 100,000 newborns in Barrancabermeja between 2016 and 2018.
In a statement, Veolia vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The French company said it operates the site in full compliance with environmental regulations. “We strongly deny the allegations made by Global Witness. These accusations are not true, and there is no credible evidence to support them.”
Veolia has credited reports of pollution at the heart of Colombia’s oil-rich area to regional extractivist activities, such as oil extraction, livestock farming, and palm oil production.