On Tuesday, 1.5 tons of live tilapia were seized in Campo Maior, Brazil, as they were being transported in containers of sulfuric acid. The Brazilian Secretary of Agriculture Defense, Fábio Abreu, confirmed that the tilapia will be discarded at the Central Waste Treatment facility in Buriti dos Lopes. A team from the Agricultural Defense Agency (Adapi) is overseeing the disposal process to ensure safety measures are enforced.

The disposal method involves burying the fish in a trench created by an excavator, and precautions have been put in place to prevent any contact with the tilapia due to contamination risks. The waste management staff at the treatment center are being instructed by Adapi to maintain strict safety protocols, as the tilapia were found in a hazardous condition linked to the acid containers.

This incident raises public health concerns, particularly regarding the potential for contamination from exposure to either the fish or the sulfuric acid. Officials are currently investigating further and have reached out to the company managing the waste treatment center for additional information as the situation develops.