Controversial Sulfuric Acid Facility Still on the Table for Port of Maceió

Public authorities are still weighing the proposal to designate an area at the Port of Maceió as a sulfuric acid storage facility for Timac Agro, a subsidiary of the French group Roullier. The zone is still prominently displayed on a map of available lease areas published on the Port of Maceió’s website.

The map highlights area AA-08, a 7,932.38-square-meter plot assigned to Timac, among other areas available for multipurpose leasing. The map indicates that the area is located in the port yard and is earmarked for liquid bulk storage, specifically sulfuric acid.

Timac Agro Indústria e Comércio de Fertilizantes LTDA’s project aims to establish a Sulfuric Acid Receiving and Storage Unit to support its fertilizer manufacturing plant in Santa Luzia do Norte, part of the Maceió Metropolitan Region.

Nine areas at the Port of Maceió are being offered for lease. Six of these are already leased to companies such as Intermarítima, Empat, and Ipiranga.

In May, a joint recommendation by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF), the Alagoas State Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPE), and the Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) called on the Ministry of Ports and Airports to revoke the authorization for the project, citing environmental, public safety, tourism, and fishing concerns in the Alagoas capital. The recommendation urged the Ministry to annul or revoke Decree 10.330/2020, which granted Timac Agro the right to store sulfuric acid at the port terminal.

The company’s operating license was granted in 2020 through a public tender conducted by the National Waterway Transport Agency (Antaq). However, critics argue that the decree was issued without proper environmental impact assessments. According to the MPF and MPE, Antaq’s Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Study (EVTEA) failed to adequately evaluate the potential risks to the environment, local communities, and the city’s tourism sector.

Despite this pushback, the project has not been officially canceled. Alagoas’ Environmental Institute (IMA) denied Timac Agro’s request for a license to store sulfuric acid, reinforcing opposition to the project.

Public opinion has also been overwhelmingly against the installation of sulfuric acid tanks at the Port of Maceió, citing not only safety concerns but also the proximity of ecologically sensitive areas, including the natural pools of Pajuçara and nearby coral reefs.

Source: Jornal Extra

Original news article: https://ojornalextra.com.br/noticias/alagoas/2024/10/108746-porto-de-maceio-mantem-area-reservada-para-armazenar-acido-sulfurico

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