The leak occurred on February 13 and affected students at a secondary school where some 15 young people showed symptoms of intoxication, some of them requiring hospitalization.
Merida, Yuc. – The Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) assured that an investigation is underway against the Bachoco company, where an ammonia leak occurred in mid-February.
On the morning of February 13, an ammonia leak occurred at the “Bachoco” chicken packing plant located on the Merida-Ticimul highway, which mobilized personnel from the State Civil Protection, Fire Department, police, and paramedics from the Public Safety Secretariat (SSP).
This leak affected the students of the Escuela Secundaria Técnica 57, where some 15 young people showed symptoms of intoxication, some of them requiring hospitalization.
However, the next day the packing company continued operating normally.
The head of PROFEPA´s representative office in Yucatán, Jesús Arcadio Lizárraga Véliz, explained that, although the company continues to operate, the agency carried out an inspection of the facilities and opened a file to audit the processes applied by the industry.
He said that the packing plant is currently presenting its allegations, causes, and consequences of the ammonia leak and explaining its protocols so that in the next few months the environmental auditors can determine if sanctions or fines will be applied for the ammonia leak.
Lizárraga Véliz assured that PROFEPA is constantly supervising the large industries in Yucatán, approximately 50, which are implementing strategies to stop the use of ammonia in their production processes.
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