Panama’s Environmental authorities yesterday fined Coca-Cola de Panama US$300,000 for polluting waters in the Bay of Panama, the Associated Press reported today.
The court said that the company was responsible for an accident that saw 400 gallons of red dye it uses to produce fruit drinks spill into the Matasnillo River last week. The river flowed into the bay, turning more than half of it a red-pink colour, according to local press reports.
The company did acknowledged responsibility for the spill.
Although no lasting damage was done and no wildlife hurt, the spill apparently cuased panic among the local population and even prompted authorities in neighbouring Costa Rica to call their Panamanian counterparts and demand an explanation, reports claimed.
