Overview

Two thousand fishermen, living in a 50-kilometer stretch of the coast of Rio de Janeiro, between Macaé and Cabo Frio, are threatened with paralyzing their activities. An anhydrous alcohol production plant, located on the banks of the São João River, is causing water pollution, with the indiscriminate release of "vinhoto", a by-product of sugar cane. It prevents the penetration of sunlight into rivers and compromises their oxygenation. Pollution, carried by the current, is already reaching the sea waters. Fishermen, scientists and technicians denounce the plant's procedure, which puts the health of the region's inhabitants and the traditional fishing economy at risk."