Matanza-Riachuelo River
Buenos Aires, Argentina · -34.65°, -58.38° · River pollution
Among the most polluted rivers in the world, lined with tanneries and refineries and ordered cleaned by the Supreme Court.
The Riachuelo flows through the industrial south of Buenos Aires past thousands of factories, including tanneries that long dumped chromium into it. Neighbourhoods such as Villa Inflamable recorded high lead levels in children. In 2008 Argentina's Supreme Court ordered a clean-up, creating the ACUMAR authority; progress has been slow, though some riverside slums have been relocated and treatment plants built.
In the game
Matanza-Riachuelo River flares up as Polluted water. The fix is a gesture: drag through the floating waste to sweep it up. Done right, it becomes Water cleaned ♻️. Finish all three steps of its chain in one round for a combo, or take your time in Explore mode: a place you fully restore stays green on your map for good.
🧭 Fly there and restore it▶ Play a 60-second round