The Regional Presidential Delegation of Arica and Parinacota announced the start of the operation for the removal, transport, and final disposal of the chemical precursors seized in the Port of Arica, in a procedure unprecedented in its magnitude and complexity in the history of our country, which begins this new phase after the completion of the bidding process for the company in charge of the operation and a series of necessary protocol studies.
The new phase involves the removal of the 41 containers storing more than 690 tons of chemical substances used as precursors for drug manufacturing. Among them, 576 tons of ethyl acetate stand out, a highly flammable liquid requiring extreme security measures, along with other batches of calcium chloride, sodium hydroxide, and sodium metabisulfite.
Due to the scale of the seizure, it was necessary to establish special protocols in coordination with Senapred, the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (Seremi) of Health, the Maritime Authority, Carabineros, the Arica Port Company (EPA), the Arica Port Terminal (TPA), and other institutions with competence in the matter. The plan is being executed by the company Ambipar Response Chile, selected after a technical and economic evaluation that guaranteed compliance with all regulatory requirements.
The company will be in charge of the critical stages of the process, from the preparation of the substances and their transport by road, to the final disposal in an authorized plant in Antofagasta with a current health resolution.
In this regard, the acting regional presidential delegate of Arica and Parinacota, Nicolás González Gutiérrez, stated that “our priority is the safety of the families of Arica and Parinacota. We have coordinated all competent institutions to ensure this procedure is carried out under the highest standards of prevention, control, and oversight. The community can be certain that we are working rigorously and responsibly to eliminate any risk associated with this operation.”
The total removal process, initially projected to last between 4 and 5 months, was logistically optimized to conclude in approximately 7 to 8 weeks, thanks to the increased transport capacity and the expansion of slots at the final disposal plant in Antofagasta.
From the Regional Presidential Delegation, they reported that each stage of the operation will be supervised, providing timely information to the public and maintaining permanent coordination with the involved technical and emergency institutions.
