RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A prosecutor from Brazil’s Public Ministry has charged state-run oil company Petrobras with environmental crimes for a spill at its Duque de Caxias refinery that allegedly contaminated the mangroves and estuary of Guanabara Bay off Rio de Janeiro.
Public Prosecutor Renato Machado also charged two employees of Petrobras in a statement released yesterday.
The spill occurred in June 2011.
“The Reduc (refinery) acted with complete negligence. They knew since 2007 at least that the treatment stations were obsolete and not functioning adequately and they did nothing,” Machado said.
The prosecutor did not mention a fine or compensation value sought.
Local courts are considering charges against US oil company Chevron and driller Transocean that could carry fines of up to $20 billion and possible jail time for foreign executives in relation to a spill last November off the coast of Brazil.
