Plant refuses agreement on mortality of 250,000 fish in the Piracicaba River The Public Ministry (MP) stated that Usina São José S/A Açúcar e Álcool, identified as responsible for the mortality of tons of fish in the Piracicaba River in July 2024, continued to pollute the water source even after the environmental tragedy in Piracicaba (SP) and the opening of an investigation that investigated the case. The manifestation sent to the Court on July 6th pointed out reports from the Federal Police showing pollution of effluents from sugar-energy activities 58 times above the limit, reports about nighttime disposal of waste from sugar-energy activities and orders from the company's management to hide molasses with hoes. g1 contacted the plant's legal representative and is awaiting a position. The disaster caused the death of 253,000 fish in a 70-kilometer stretch, reaching the Tanquã Permanent Environmental Protection Area, known as São Paulo's "mini-pantanal", in Piracicaba (SP). See the evidence listed below in the report. The supporting elements are part of the evidence listed by the Special Action Group for the Defense of the Environment (Gaema). Prosecutor Ivan Carneiro Castanheiro highlighted in the demonstration that the Court was aware of robust evidence produced after the civil investigation, opened after the direct dumping of agro-industrial waste into the Piracicaba River. Mortality in the Tanquã APA is the highest recorded, according to fishermen Jefferson Souza/ EPTV Technical Reports Reports from the Federal Police found that samples collected in October 2025 at the plant showed a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 3,534 mg/L, a value 58 times higher than the legal limit. The experts pointed out that the concentration is typical of effluents from sugar-energy activities (sugar and molasses). Furthermore, they detected that the discard flow abruptly reduced shortly after collection, indicating a controlled and intermittent release, and not an accidental or rain event. The reports also confirmed the existence of interconnections, underground pipes and valves connecting the plant's decantation tanks directly to Ribeirão Tijuco Preto, proving the means of spreading contaminants. ? Join the g1 Piracicaba WhatsApp channel Testimonial evidence Concealment of evidence: during a hearing at the Federal Police, a former employee revealed that he had received direct orders from the plant's leadership, the day after the disaster, to hide the traces of molasses in the vegetation using hoes, before inspection by the São Paulo State Environmental Company (Cetesb) arrived. Repeated nighttime disposals: statements from other employees, whose identities were preserved, confirmed that the company had a routine practice of opening valves in the "waste box" during the night (third shift) to pour molasses and wastewater directly into the river, circumventing inspection. One of them confirmed that the 2024 leak originated from an old tank located on the other side of the river. Finally, the Public Prosecutor's Office highlighted in the statement that the Court was aware of robust evidence produced after the Civil Inquiry opened. These signs, demonstrated by reports from former employees of the plant and technical expert reports, were incorporated into the process. Fishermen report effects of fish mortality at APA Tanquã, in São Pedro Usina rejected agreement with Public Prosecutor's Office Usina São José S/A Açúcar e Álcool completely refused the agreement provided for in the Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC) with the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP). Exactly two years ago, the direct dumping of agro-industrial waste into the Piracicaba River reached the Tanquã Permanent Environmental Protection Area, known as the São Paulo mini-pantanal, in Piracicaba (SP). Among the commitments indicated in the draft TAC, it was expected that the plant would compensate fishermen in the Tanquã region with salaries and payments of R$10,000 for moral damages, repopulate the water source, carry out compensatory works and social actions, in addition to continuous environmental monitoring of the affected area. The plant rejected the entire basis of the proposal, including the fines, adjustments and million-dollar compensation to fishermen and the environmental fund, and preferred to exercise its right to defense through legal means. Fine The fine of R$18 million was updated to R$21.9 million, but the plant refused to sign the TAC and took action against Cetesb to reduce the application of sanctions by 98%, which would represent around R$353.6 thousand. The Public Ministry (MP), in turn, joined the legal action to defend the application of the updated fine of R$21.9 million. In a statement, Usina São José states that "the decision not to celebrate the TAC at this time does not represent resistance to dialogue or the investigation of the facts". Check out the full note at the end of the report. The environmental damage generated a fine of R$18 million, which was never paid, to Usina São José, in Rio das Pedras (SP). At the time, the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb) pointed to the location as the origin of the pollution that led to the animal deaths. Read also River without fish: Tanquã community struggles to survive and fisherman gives up the profession Without closed insurance, fishermen affected by fish deaths in the Piracicaba River report difficulties: 'it causes depression' After the TAC's refusal, the meeting between the MP, Cetesb and fishermen's representatives, which was scheduled for July 7th, was cancelled, according to prosecutor Ivan Carneiro. "I regret that the plant did not accept the agreement. We spent a lot of time adjusting the terms of the TAC and, now, they responded negatively", said the prosecutor. Fish mortality in the Piracicaba River: TAC under negotiation provides for environmental monitoring, repopulation of the Piracicaba River and compensation for fishermen Public Ministry/ Reproduction Attempts to reach an agreement ?In October 2025, a first version of the draft TAC had been written after a meeting with members of Usina São José, Public Ministry, municipalities involved, Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (Cetesb) and affected fishermen. After the first draft of the TAC was made official, the Plant had 30 days to accept the content of each of the proposals and/or counter proposals. Why did the plant refuse an agreement? According to official documents from the Public Prosecutor's Office, Usina São José's central points of disagreement were the following: Incompatibility with the facts - The company declared that the legal, technical and factual assumptions of the TAC were incompatible with its own understanding of what happened. Disagreement with the structure of the agreement - The divergence reached the basis of the proposed instrument, which made it impossible to present counterproposals or specific negotiations. Allegation of accidental and minor event - The plant argued that the leak was accidental and in small quantities, insufficient to cause fish deaths of that magnitude. Attempt to attribute the cause to algal blooms - The company attempted to justify the damage by comparing it to a previous event caused by algae, a thesis that was formally rejected by Cetesb due to the characteristics of concentrated industrial dumping identified in the water. Usina São José returned to operating in Rio das Pedras after regaining its operating license. Edijan Del Santo/EPTV Plant resumed operations in 2025 In July 2025, Usina São José resumed operations in Rio das Pedras (SP) after regaining its operating license. The company was fined R$18 million, but filed an appeal and had requests denied. Remember the case, below. Consulted by g1 in July 2026, Cetesb stated that negotiations to conclude the Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC) were still ongoing between the parties involved. "The most recent inspection carried out by the Company found that the establishment's activities remain at a standstill. At the same time, the fine imposed by Cetesb remains in judicial tax enforcement proceedings", he concluded in a note this Monday (6). Tanquã is considered an animal sanctuary Edijan Del Santo/ EPTV Inferred resources The Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb) informs that it has rejected all resources from Usina São José in relation to the fine of R$ 18 million for the environmental damage caused to the Piracicaba River. Fine not paid Two years after the environmental disaster killed 235,000 fish in an animal sanctuary on the Piracicaba River, the R$18 million fine imposed on Usina São José (USJ) has still not been paid. Image in Cetesb report indicates that pollutant left the plant and reached the river Reproduction/ Cetesb 'Undue and unfair' accusations In a note sent to g1 at the time of the fish mortality in 2024, Usina São José (USJ) reiterated that "the accusations of responsibility for the fish mortality incident that occurred on July 8, 2024 are undue and unfair", he said. Regarding the refusal of the TAC, Usina São José states that it "reaffirms its commitment to environmental preservation, the sustainability of its operations and respect for the communities where it operates" and will remain at the disposal of the authorities, maintaining a collaborative stance. Read the document, here. Thousands of dead fish in the Piracicaba River g1 X-ray of the disaster 253 thousand dead fish: The estimate is from Cetesb. By weight, the inspection agency estimates that there are at least 50 tons of fish. Zero oxygen level: Cetesb analyzes found a zero level of oxygen dissolved in water (DO) or close to zero, which makes it impossible for aquatic animals to survive. Strong odor, foam and dark water: among the characteristics in the water are a strong odor characteristic of organic industrial materials, dark color of the water and the presence of foam. 70 kilometers long: according to a Cetesb report, the fish mortality extended over a 70-kilometer stretch, from the mouth of Ribeirão Tijuco Preto to the Rio Piracicaba-Tanquã Environmental Protection Area (APA). 10 days long: Cetesb details that the effects of the polluting load on the Piracicaba River were noticed for around ten days. APA reached is equivalent to 14 thousand football fields: The Tanquã protection area, where the highest number of dead fish was recorded, occupies an area of ??14 thousand hectares, equivalent to 14 thousand football fields, in the cities of Anhembi, Botucatu, Dois Córregos, Piracicaba, Santa Maria da Serra and São Pedro, in the interior of São Paulo. Sanctuary has at least 735 species: according to Esalq/USP ecology professor Flávio Bertin Gandara, the Tanquã APA is an animal sanctuary because they find food and shelter to reproduce there. There are also more than 300 species of plants. 50 fishermen affected: Between Piracicaba and São Pedro, the fishing colony has registered just over 50 fishermen who depend on the river for a living, according to the group's representative. R$ 18 million in fine: in addition to taking into account water pollution and fish mortality, when calculating the fine, according to Cetesb, it was also considered that the company failed to report the occurrence and that there was damage in an environmental protection area. 9 years for recovery: according to environmental analyst Antonio Fernando Bruni Lucas, it will take up to nine years to recover the number of fish in the Piracicaba River. VIDEOS: everything about Piracicaba and the region See more news about the region on the g1 Piracicaba page.