No Interruption To Ence's Operations In Uruguay

摘要

Grupo Empresarial Ence S.A. has denied reports that the government of Uruguay had imposed temporary suspension of the company's operations in the country. Several environmental organisations, including Greenpeace Spain, had reported at the end of August that the Uruguayan government had issued a suspension order after around 80 ha of virgin forest were found to have been illegally cleared in Departa-mento Paysandu. Greenpeace Spain had also reported that Ence had burnt the felled trees following the illegal clearing in order to conceal the fact.rnEnce stated that the government had at no time imposed any temporary suspension of its operations in Uruguay. The Spanish company, however, admitted that it had made a mistake in clearing operations in Departamento Paysandu. Official approval was granted to clear a 700 ha zone for eucalyptus plantations within the company's 900 ha holding, the company said. This was a transition zone between savannah and forest with mixed, young vegetation. Arising from a mistake interpreting map data, clearing operations in the area encroached into an area outside the purview of the approval, Ence explained, adding that it informed government authorities as soon as the error had been discovered. The company firmly rejected allegations that it had tried to conceal the mistake by burning the felled trees. Burning waste wood after clearing any area was standard practice to avoid the risk of forest fires, the company added.