Battre – Bahia transfer and treatment of waste, responsible for the operation of the Salvador Sanitary Landfill, and the director Ângelo Teixeira de Castro Carvalho were Ibased by the Bahia Civil Police for crimes against the environment. The decision was made after the completion of an inquiry conducted by the 12th Territorial Police Station (DT), in the Itapuã neighborhood, which investigated several complaints against the company’s performance in the landfill area.
The report had access to the police inquiry, which has over 200 pages and includes expert reports, photos and testimonials from residents and workers from the region. According to the document, a team of the Crime Expertise Coordination against the Environment was at the scene on the afternoon of August 27 this year, and found deforestation of approximately 11 thousand square meters of Environmental Protection Area (APA) in the Nova Esperança neighborhood, including part of the Joanes-Ipitanga Rivers.
In addition, siltation and collection of water samples were identified to verify possible contamination by slurry – the analyzes are still underway.
During the expertise, the agents also observed exposed soil, concrete shackles arranged irregularly, and caught a backhoe operating on the banks of a river, which, according to experts, characterizes “typical of environmental degradation”.
The inquiry also points out that the region was rich in wild fauna-such as armadillos, foxes, teiús and chameleons-and today it is deforested, without the presence of animals and with significant increase in pests. Residents reported to police that the river near the area has a bad smell, barrena color and rust -looking material on the banks.
Petition Testimonial
During the investigation, the company’s director was called to depose, but, according to the inquiry, answered the questions through a petition presented by two lawyers, who dodged to answer directly to various questions about the complaints.
Battre is part of the Solvi Group, and operates the Metropolitan Centro (AMC) landfill since 1999. The first allegations of possible environmental crimes date back to 2000 and 2001. CNN has been reporting in reports about suspicions of irregularities that hovered about the venture. In January 2025, Salvador City Hall renewed the contract with the company for another 20 years, without bidding, at the cost of R $ 2.6 billion.
The indictment of Battre and director Angelo Teixeira de Castro Carvalho was made based on article 50-A of the Environmental Crimes Law (Law No. 9.605/1998), which deals with “deforestation of public or vacant areas with native or planted coverage”.
What the company says
Sought, Battre sent a note denying the indictment and claiming that the area where environmental degradation was found does not belong to the company, although it recognizes that it is neighboring the landfill.
“The area mentioned is not under the jurisdiction of the company. The forensics itself presented a georeferenced photo of the site and it was clarified that, despite being a region neighboring the landfill, the area does not belong to Battre,” he said in text.
The company also stated that neither Battre nor the director Ângelo Teixeira were formally indicted in the process. Finally, he reaffirmed his commitment to environmental legislation and said he was open to dialogue with the control bodies.
