The Argentine Environmental Defense Foundation issued an alert about the removal of toxic materials from an abandoned vegetable oil production plant in the central province of Córdoba. The Argentine Environmental Defense Foundation issued an alert about the removal of toxic materials from an abandoned vegetable oil production plant in the central province of Córdoba.

The complaint aims at the former oil producer Río Cuarto, in the city of the same name, which is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and is under investigation by justice authorities following a pollution report from the city government.

The Foundation identified asbestos, dioxins, furans, heavy metals and pesticide residues at the plant. In spite of this, a vehicle left the site filled with toxic materials.

“It's extremely serious,” Foundation director Raúl Montenegro told Tierramérica. “Asbestos is a silent killer,” he said, and called for “urgent measures” from legal authorities to prevent further removal, to plan dismantling of the plant, and provide a depositing site for the residues.