Oil slick confirmed to have drifted to Rio de Janeiro
The oil that reached the coast of Rio de Janeiro has been found to match the material collected in the Brazilian Northeast and in he state of Espírito Santo, according to the Monitoring and Assessment Group (GAA). In a note released today (Nov. 26), the group says agents with the Navy and the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) are watching for further developments on the scene. The GAA is formed by members of the Brazilian Navy, the National Oil Agency (ANP), and Ibama.
The assessment was carried out by the Sea Study Institute Almirante Paulo Moreira, which found that a 20 gram sample collected on Santa Clara beach, north of Rio de Janeiro state, is similar to the oil that drifted to the Northeastern coast and Espírito Santo state.
Samples were gathered in several locations in northern Rio de Janeiro, but only the fragment from Santa Clara beach “was reported to match,” the text reads.
As per the latest Ibama report, published Monday (25), 772 locations in 124 municipalities across 11 states were affected by the oil altogether.
Last week, government scholarship agency Capes put out a tender offer earmarking $319.5 thousand for studies on the oil found on Brazilian beaches. The goal is to help curb the spread of the waste, process it, and mitigate environmental damages.
