Mexican environmental authorities respond to 12,000-liter sulfuric acid spill in Sonora

A tanker-truck crash in Sonora triggered an environmental emergency after an estimated 12,000 liters of sulfuric acid spilled onto a highway and about 200 meters of natural soil.

The accident occurred at kilometer 97.5 of the Ímuris-Cananea road, roughly 15 kilometers from the municipality of Cananea. Authorities said the driver lost control of the vehicle at about 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection, known as Profepa, and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources, Semarnat, said some of the material moved toward areas that are difficult to access. Civil protection officials and state and federal police went to the site, and authorities closed the road as a precaution.

Crews have been transferring and recovering the chemical and neutralizing the spill with hydrated lime. Those operations were continuing while the area remained under emergency response. Profepa personnel carried out an initial technical inspection and prepared a record before a full inspection once responding authorities release the site.

The truck belonged to Express Milac, or Movimientos Industriales Logísticos de Alta Calidad. It was carrying sulfuric acid from the Fundición plant in Nacozari, Sonora, to the Cobre del Mayo mine in Álamos, Sonora. Profepa said it will determine the site’s condition and require appropriate cleanup and remediation measures after completing its assessment.