“A 2013 report found that 25% of children living in the Matanza-Riachuelo basin had lead in their bloodstream, and an even higher portion were living with respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses,” wrote Harriet Barber for The Guardian.  

The Matanza-Riachuelo River in Buenos Aires is considered one of the most polluted in the world. In 2008, Argentina’s courts demanded the river’s cleanup and restoration, even though residents realized the growing problem as early as the 1980’s with mysterious skin rashes, headaches, breathing problems, vomiting, and animals dying inexplicably. At the end of 2024, the court decided to stop monitoring the restoration progress. 

“This 2008 ruling was really important for environmental rights for Argentina, setting the tone nationally,” said Cristian Fernández, a lawyer at FARN. “The Supreme Court was guarding the river; now it will not. It is like saying to judges across the country, there are no environmental rules anymore. They’re risking all we have achieved.”

Although the Matanza-Riachuelo Basin Authority (Acumar) state agency has been responsible for the cleanup process since 2008, environmental specialists and residents are afraid that progress will slow or even stop without oversight. Especially due to limited resources and potential budget cuts from the National Government.

With thousands of businesses situated on the edge of the river, sewage still flowing constantly, and 4.5 million people calling the area their home, the river is far from fixed. Thankfully, a new sewage system is in the works, as well as a housing relocation agreement, but experts are not confident that the river and the population surrounding it will ever be healed after this decision.