Chetumal, Q.R. — A wastewater truck seen dumping raw sewage into a green area of Chetumal has been seized. Personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency (PPA) were able to locate and seize the truck after its driver was videoed emptying the tanker of blackwater sewage onto public property.
The video was taken Monday night showing a man directing a hose from the truck into a green area where black water was pumped from the vehicle into the greenspace. Residents who saw the video confirmed the truck had been seen in the area before.
On Tuesday, state officials seized the vehicle identified as belonging to Soluciones Ambientales del Sur SA after an employee was seen emptying the contents of the truck on Erick Paolo Martínez Avenue in the Proterritorio neighborhood of Chetumal.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (SEMA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (PPA) carried out a joint operation that resulted in the seizure of several blackwater transport trucks after they were detected discharging sewage into a vacant lot at the intersection of Venustiano Carranza Avenue and Palermo Avenue in the state capital.
The Secretary of Ecology and Environment, Óscar Rébora, reported that this action is the result of an inter-institutional effort focused on firmly combating environmental crimes, especially those that affect the health of citizens and urban ecosystems.
“Governor Mara Lezama has been very clear: caring for the environment means caring for our people. That’s why, at SEMA, we’re coordinating actions with the PPA to ensure that no one feels entitled to pollute with impunity. These acts cannot and should not be normalized,” Rébora stated.
The illegal dumping site was located just a few meters from a commercial area, near the Bodega Aurrerá store, on Constituyentes Street and Erick Paolo Martínez Street. According to the preliminary investigation, an employee of a private company evaded proper wastewater disposal and dumped it directly onto the ground, which constitutes a serious violation of current environmental regulations.
The wastewater vehicle remains impounded while PPA personnel investigate allegations of environmental crimes. The company, who also provides services in Bacalar and Mahahual, have been shut down at their Chetumal location by state officials.
