Uruguay approves Metsa-Botnia pulp mill

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0941462920071109

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay has granted a long-awaited start-up permit for Finnish pulp mill group Metsa-Botnia's $1 billion mill in Uruguay, which neighboring Argentina argues will pollute a border river.

The go-ahead came late on Thursday after a last-ditch effort to resolve the years-long diplomatic dispute between the South American countries failed during a summit in Chile, and it drew swift criticism from Argentina.

Argentina sued Uruguay at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on charges that Montevideo did not provide enough information on the project under a treaty on the Uruguay River, which divides the two nations.

The Metsa-Botnia plant, located in the Uruguayan city of Fray Bentos along the river, represents one of the largest private investments in Uruguay's history and is expected to produce about 1 million tons of pulp annually.

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