Brazil: Heineken halts production at Ponta Grossa brewery as highway accident causes lysoguma leak in local river

Heineken has halted production at its Ponta Grossa plant in Paraná state after an accident on the BR-376 highway resulted in a lysoguma leak, raising concerns about the Tibagi River, the main source of water used by the operation, Click Petroleo e Gas reported.

The shutdown was announced on February 5, 2026, while technicians assess whether there has been a significant environmental impact.

The case exposes a sensitive point for the industry: When industrial water depends on a strategic river, any suspicion of contamination becomes an operational, reputational, and economic risk. Beyond monitoring the Tibagi River, reports, emergency protocols, and pressure for transparency come into play, because the regional supply chain feels the effects even before a resumption date is set.

The event began with a collision between two semi-trucks on BR-376, at km 509, on February 3, 2026.

The incident resulted in a spill of lysoguma, described as a vegetable oil derivative that can be classified as hazardous waste when improperly disposed of, requiring containment and monitoring; one of the drivers suffered a broken leg and received medical attention.

Heineken has stated that the suspension is preventative and that it will only resume operations after validation of environmental technical reports by the Water and Land Institute and municipal authorities.

Lysogum is not presented as a synthetic poison, but the environmental debate cannot be resolved solely by that label.

Substances with a high organic load can consume dissolved oxygen when they enter bodies of water, creating a stressful environment for fish and other organisms, especially in areas with less water renewal.

Another point is the combination of components mentioned for lysogoma, such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, metals, and pigments. In the presence of water, this can alter transparency, reduce light penetration, and hinder gas exchange, affecting local biodiversity.

For Heineken, this type of uncertainty becomes a direct risk, because the decision to resume operations depends on what the reports prove regarding the Tibagi River.

From an operational standpoint, the resumption depends on a technical "yes" from the Water and Land Institute, not on corporate will, and the time until this opinion is given becomes part of the risk that Heineken needs to manage publicly.

06 February, 2026