Today, the delegations of the Argentine Republic and the Republic of Uruguay to the Uruguay River Administrative Commission submitted to Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra and Undersecretary José Luis Cancela the reports containing the results of the monitoring activities carried out by the Scientific Committee on the Orion Plant (UPM-formerly Botnia), the Gualeguaychú River at its outlet into the Uruguay River, and the Uruguay River in the area of influence of the Orion Plant and the Gualeguaychú River.
The Scientific Committee, as CARU’s Subsidiary Body, for the purpose of complying with the decision of the International Court of Justice, has been conducting monitoring activities in accordance with the Diplomatic Notes of 30 August 2010 and the specific plan agreed upon on 14 November that year.
The report is about 50 campaigns implemented on the Orion Plant (UPM-formerly Botnia) and the Gualeguaychú River between June 2011 and July 2015, as well as about 32 campaigns implemented in the Uruguay River in the zone of influence between September 2012 and April 2015. It is worth mentioning that campaigns conducted after these dates are in the process of data recording and validation so as to be informed in due time.
It should be noted that progress has been made on key issues since last May within the framework of mature bilateral relations, which include, among others, the responsibility of promoting policies aimed at facilitating access to information and the transparent publication of the data gathered by the binational agency on the basis of agreed standards and protocols concerning the environmental issue in the Uruguay River.
In this regard, the Uruguay River Administrative Commission, together with the entity’s advisers and officials, has started to update its regulations (Digest) with the aim of promoting harmonization of standards relating to the exploitation and use of the Uruguay River, particularly its water quality, to maintain the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the river.
In addition, both delegations highlighted the progress made in the binational state-of-the-art environmental laboratory set up by decision of Presidents Vázquez and Macri to serve as a regional benchmark regarding environmental care and water protection, which will be operated by the Uruguay River Administrative Commission (CARU) and will enable comprehensive assessment and sanitation activities throughout the Uruguay River.
Finally, in December, CARU will start the first Comprehensive Monitoring stage in the 500-kilometre long shared section of the river in order to determine its health status.
Summary of CARU’s Scientific Committee Report
On 26 October 2016, the Scientific Committee furnished CARU with a report containing the results of lab analyses and on-site measurements obtained from the monitoring activities agreed upon within the framework of CARU with a view to a first joint publication.
The results were obtained from 50 monitoring campaigns conducted in the effluents of the UPM Plant and the mouth of the Gualeguachú River between June 2011 and July 2015, and from 32 monitoring campaigns conducted in the Uruguay River between September 2012 and April 2015, along a stretch of the river between kilometres 88 and 114 (approximately where the Uruguayan towns of Las Cañas and Nuevo Berlín, respectively, are located).
Most of the analyses were carried out in Canadian laboratories duly accredited in water and effluent quality parameters and some of them (for reasons of sample-preservation time) were made in Argentine and Uruguayan labs, internationally accepted analytic methods and techniques having been adopted in all cases.
The abovementioned report has over 400 pages and contains tables and graphs with all the information collected, as well as 30,000 data items gathered and added to CARU’s database.
Below is a summary of the report submitted to CARU by the Argentine and Uruguayan delegations.
a. Orion Plant (UPM-formerly Botnia)
The report was prepared in response to a request made by CARU calling upon the Scientific Committee to make an assessment –on the basis of the analytic results obtained from the monitoring activities performed on the UPM Plant– of compliance with CARU effective regulations and Uruguayan standards applicable to the effluents of this industrial plant.
The report comprises 50 records from the monitoring activities carried out by CARU between June 2011 and July 2015 in collaboration with the National Directorate of Environment (DINAMA), which, as the enforcement authority, is responsible for taking samples and using instruments for on-site determinations. It also includes on-site measurements and multiple-parameter analytic assessments of the samples taken on each occasion.
Upon analysis of the results obtained for the effluents from the industrial process and discharge from rainwater ponds in the Orion Plant, the following details can be provided:
1.- For the parameters provided for in the regulations and listed below, no departure from the regulations was recorded in any of the 50 instances of monitoring of effluents from the industrial process:
pH; total suspended solids, sulphurs, BOD5, detergents, phenolic substances, flow rate, total ammonia, total phosphorous, fecal coliforms, arsenic, cadmium, copper, total chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, zinc, aldrin, dieldrin, chlordane, DDT, endosulfan, endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor-epoxide, lindane, methoxychlor, mirex, 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP, parathion, AOX, total nitrogen, nitrates, dioxins, furans, solids settleable within two hours and total hydrocarbons.
2.- For the parameters provided for in the regulations and listed below, a departure from the applicable regulations was recorded in the following cases:
- Solids retained on a 10-mm sieve: On several occasions, prior to May 2014, materials of such characteristics were found on the effluent discharge channel. As a consequence, movable sieves were placed at the discharge of secondary clarifiers in May 2014 and permanent sieves were placed at such discharge in August 2014. No such materials have been detected since then.
- Presence of oils and grease in industrial process effluents above the values set forth in regulations, in a single entry from the 50 instances reviewed (January 2014).
- Effluent temperature above the 37°C maximum established under Ministerial Resolution No. 370/2011, on two occasions (February and April 2015). With regard to the 30°C limit established for effluent discharge temperature pursuant to Ministerial Resolution No. 1334/2013, such condition cannot be required beyond the period covered by the report.
- pH with a single value above the standard established for discharge from rainwater pond No. 4, in the November 2011 entry.
3.- Daily charge monthly average requirements, according to regulations, have been compared with charge values measured on the occasion of each monitoring instance, and the following has been recorded:
- For the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD), AOX, total suspended solids and total nitrogen: daily charges measured have been, at all 50 monitored instances, below the maximum value established in applicable regulations for monthly average charge values.
- Total phosphorous: on three occasions out of the 50 monitored instances (August 2011, March 2014, December 2014), the daily charge measured was above the maximum value established in applicable regulations for monthly average charge values. The maximum annual average charge allowed under Ministerial Resolution No. 1334/2013 entered into force after the period covered by this report; as a consequence, it is not taken into consideration here.
- 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5): on a single occasion out of the 27 valid results informed for this parameter (October 2013), the daily charge measured was above the maximum value established in applicable regulations for monthly average charge values.
With regard to the specific maximum annual average admissible charge requirement by production unit (substance mass per production unit), the Scientific Committee requested from CARU detailed information on cellulose production over the period informed so as to perform the relevant evaluation; however, the information was not yet available at the time the report was drafted. It is expected that, in the short term, an addendum to the report will be available in which these requirements are evaluated for BOD5, COD, AOX, total suspended solids, total nitrogen and total phosphorous.
In addition to strictly monitoring the parameters provided for in the applicable regulations, the monitoring activities included several metals, pesticides, and some other additional parameters. They are as follows:
turbidity, chlorate, total solids, conductivity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, silicon, iron, selenium, aluminium, manganese, boron, total PeCDD, total HxCDD, total HpCDD, total OCDD, total PeCDF, total HxCDF, total HpCDF, total OCDF, nitrite, sulphur, antimony, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cobalt, lithium, molybdenum, silver, strontium, thallium, thorium, titanium, tin, uranium, zirconium, vanadium, telluride, Escherichia coli, oxychlordane, nonachlor, propanil, cis-permethrin, trans-permethrin, atrazine, simazine, glyphosate, AMPA, 2,4-DB, bromoxynil, clopyralid, dicamba, dichlorprop, dinoseb, imazamox, imazapyr, imazethapyr, MCPA, MCPB, mecoprop, picloram, triclopyr.
- Gualeguaychú River at its outlet into Uruguay River
The report was prepared pursuant to a request from CARU, whereby CARU entrusted the Scientific Committee with the performance of an evaluation—based on analytical results from monitoring activities conducted at the outlet of the Gualeguaychú River—of compliance with applicable CARU regulations and with Argentine regulations applicable to said watercourse, a tributary of the Uruguay River.
The study comprises 50 monitoring activity entries developed by CARU from June 2011 to July 2015, joining the SAER (Secretariat for the Environment of Entre Ríos), which—in its capacity as application authority—is responsible for sampling and for operating the instrumentation for on-site assessments. This includes on-site measurements and the analytical assessment of multiple parameters, based on the samples collected on each occasion.
Upon analysis of the results obtained for the Gualeguaychú River at its outlet into the Uruguay River, the following details can be provided:
1.- With respect to the parameters included in the regulations and listed below, the regulations have been complied with every time they were measured:
Aldrin, antimony, arsenic, barium, lindane, boron, bromoxynil, zinc, chlordane, endrin, fluoride, glyphosate, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, mercury, methoxychlor, nitrate, total organochlorides, parathion, copper, total chromium, 2,4-D, DDT, dicamba, dieldrin, endosulfan, total pesticides, silver, lead, selenium, simazine, thallium, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP, uranium, oils and grease, solids settling within two hours.
2.- With respect to the parameters included in the regulations and listed below, the following departures from the applicable regulations were detected in cases where valid results were obtained:
- Aluminium: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 39 occasions out of 39 valid results.
- Ammonium: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 35 occasions out of 50 valid results.
- Atrazine: The values measured for this parameter exceeded the limit set by the regulations on 2 occasions out of 23 valid results.
- Beryllium: The results obtained exceeded the limit set by the regulations on 37 occasions out of 39 valid results.
- Cadmium: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 2 occasions out of 50 valid results.
- Total phenols: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 14 occasions out of 50 valid results.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: The results obtained exceeded the limit set by the regulations on 1 occasion out of 38 valid results.
- Petroleum Hydrocarbon: The results obtained exceeded the limit set by the regulations on 8 occasions out of 48 valid results.
- Iron: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 50 occasions out of 50 valid results.
- Manganese: The limit set by the regulations was exceeded on 7 occasions out of 50 valid results.
- Nickel: The limit set by the standard was exceeded on 7 occasions out of 50 valid results.
3.- Other parameters not included in the regulations but which have also been analyzed in the studies conducted:
Apart from the customary analysis of the parameters contained in the applicable regulations, various metals, pesticides and other relevant parameters of water quality for assessing the state of a body of water as is the River Gualeguaychu were incorporated into the monitoring activity. These parameters include:
Flow Rate, Temperature, Conductivity, pH, dissolved Oxygen, Secchi Transparency, Kjeldahl N, Total Phosphorus, Total Suspended Solids, Total Solids, 5-day BOD, COD, MBAS, Total Coliforms, Faecal Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Hardness, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Silicon, Chlorophyll, Pheophytin, Bromide, Chloride, Sulphate, Chlorate, Total Sulphide, Sulphur, TOC, AOX, Cobalt, Tin, Lithium, Bismuth, Strontium, Zirconium, Tellurium, Thorium, Titanium, Vanadium, Molybdenum, Total Dioxins, Total Furans, Oxychlordane, Nonachlor, Mirex, Propanil, Cis-permethrin, Trans-permethrin, AMPA, 2,4-DB, Clopyralid, Dichlorprop, Dinoseb, Imazamox, Imazapyr, Imazehtapyr, MCPA, MCPB, Mecoprop, Picloram, Triclopyr.
- The River Uruguay in the area of influence of the Orion Plant and the River Gualeguaychu
The report was prepared at the request of CARU, which required the Scientific Committee to assess compliance with the applicable regulations established by CARU, on the basis of the analytical results of the studies carried out in the River Uruguay in the area of influence of the Orion plant and the outlet into the River Gualeguaychu.
The samples have been collected at 32 sites, within a stretch of the River Uruguay between Km 88 and Km 114, divided into 10 transects (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 T6, T7, T8, T9, T10), as shown in the attached graph.
Upon analysis of the results of the on-site and lab measurements obtained from the 32 samples taken (between September 2012 and April 2015), the following departures from the regulations were detected, arranged in descending order of frequency, without differentiating between the 32 sites sampled.
The parameters included in the regulations, i.e., pH; 5-day BOD, Ammonia (NH3), Arsenic, Cadmium, Cyanide, Mercury, Lead, Selenium, Zinc, Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Endosulfan, Endrin, Heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, Lindane, Methoxychlor, Organophosphorates, 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP—were not departed from at any of the sites considered at the times when samples were taken.
The parameters included in the regulations, i.e., Iron (on multiple occasions), Oil and grease (on several occasions), dissolved oxygen (on some occasions), phenols (on some occasions), copper, chromium, nickel (on very few occasions), PCB (on very few occasions)—were departed from at some of the sites relating to the ten transects and throughout the 32 samples taken.
Future actions of the Administrative Commission of the River Uruguay
CARU is also carrying out the following work:
Starting in early December of this year, it will commence the initial monitoring of the River Uruguay throughout the stretch shared by both countries under the jurisdiction of CARU.
The technical and discussion work for readapting the standards to the Digest on the use and enjoyment of the River Uruguay is already under way, with a view to promoting the harmonization of the standards and regulations in force in relation to it, especially on water quality.
It is also making progress on the future installation of the Binational Laboratory announced by both Presidents, so that it will become a benchmark for the region.
* A Summary of the Report by the Scientific Committee of CARU is attached. The rest of the documents in pdf format may be downloaded at: http://cancilleria.gob.ar/delegacion-de-la-caru-entrega-los-informes-correspondientes-al-monitoreo-del-comite-cientifico-en-la.
