How Veolia brought San Silvestre in line with international standards
Prior to Veolia's acquisition, the site was subject to environmental and legal challenges including:
Operational overreach: Rediba's operations had previously exceeded the authorised site perimeter.
Constitutional Court ruling (2017): A court order required the operator to resolve issues including groundwater monitoring, leachate treatment, and providing drinking water to neighboring communities.
- Site condition at acquisition: The site was noted for having poor infrastructure, including an outdated and overdesigned leachate treatment plant that was eventually abandoned.
Veolia took on these challenges when it acquired the site in July 2019 and fully renovated it. Veolia invested heavily and implemented a comprehensive management system to bring the site in line with international industrial and environmental standards, achieving compliance with the Constitutional Court Ruling of 2017.
Key improvements
Introduced Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology for leachate treatment.
Increased treatment capacity with the commissioning of a second line in 2025, reaching a theoretical total capacity of 18 m³/h.
Expanded storage capacity to 32,000 m³ by 2025 to manage the leachate generated by the combination of rainfall and waste humidity.
Leachate Management
Implemented a protocol for drilling, analysis, and drainage on the northern border to secure areas where previous Rediba cells had exceeded limits.
Cap of cell (“Vaso”) N°1, which is now closed, using an impermeable cover, in order to prevent leachate generation.
Infrastructure stabilisation
Established a rigorous monitoring program with 100% compliance across more hundreds of parameters annually, including surface, groundwater and sediment testing.
Increased testing frequency from semester to trimester;
Obtained ISO certifications (9001, 14001, 45001, and 37001) to support operational and environmental quality.
Monitoring, compliance and international certifications
Action plan & positive outcomes
The site currently treats 3400 m3 of leachate every month.
Treatment
Independent and internal testing confirmed that heavy metals (mercury, lead, chromium) in downstream surface water remain below regulatory limits.
Water quality
While a permanent water plant was deemed infeasible due to distance, Veolia continues to supply potable water via tanker trucks to the local Patio Bonito community. Veolia also conducts many community support actions (see here).
Community support
As of March 2026, there are no open investigations or pending matters with environmental authorities regarding the operational normalised areas.
Regulatory status