Shovel Operator Charged in Fatal Waste Site Incident

Authorities Investigate Death of Recycler at Cañuelas Ecopunto

A mechanical shovel operator has been charged with alleged negligent homicide following the discovery of a 50-year-old recycler’s body. The grim find occurred in the Cañuelas Municipal Ecopunto after a search that lasted nearly seven hours.

Tragic Discovery at Ruta 6 Site

The body of Patricia Florencia González, a 50-year-old recycler, was discovered under a significant pile of refuse in the Cañuelas Municipal Ecopunto. The incident occurred after González was last seen at 4 p.m. on Thursday, collecting materials near a mechanical shovel.

Her colleagues, concerned by her absence, alerted authorities, prompting a desperate search. Firefighters from various districts, along with tracker dogs, participated in the search that ultimately led to the tragic discovery. Authorities are investigating the cause of death, whether by suffocation or a blow from the machinery.

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“Authorities have yet to determine if the woman died from suffocation or a blow from the machine.”

—Infocañuelas

Recent data shows that waste management facilities have seen a concerning rise in workplace fatalities; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the waste and recycling industry has a fatality rate that is significantly higher than the national average (BLS Statistics).

Related Incident in Córdoba

In a separate incident, municipal authorities in the province of Córdoba mourned the death of Juan José Bivanco, a 35-year-old waste collector. Bivanco was fatally injured when he fell from a garbage truck and was crushed.

These events underscore the inherent dangers faced by waste workers. The investigations will reveal more details about the accidents, as the families cope with their losses.