**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- **Site condition at acquisition:** The site was noted for having poor infrastructure, including an outdated and overdesigned leachate treatment plant that was eventually abandoned.



 

 

 



 

 

   ![Site road ](/sites/g/files/dvc5656/files/styles/media/public/image/2026/04/DSC_1210.JPG.webp?itok=HrJJQprp)   





 

 





 

 

 

 





 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**