The Argentine Environmental Assembly of Gualeguaychú denounced that the Finnish paper factory Botnia, located in Fray Bentos city in Uruguay, has emanated a toxic fume that had a strong sulphur smell.

The environmental activists also said that there were white spots in Uruguay River, which divides both countries.

"A dense cloud of fumes appeared, we couldn't even see the factory, and there was a strong sulphur smell," described the environmental activist Guillermo Bonzón.

Members from the Environmental Assembly blocked the bridge that connects Fray Bentos with Uruguay on November 2006 in order to protest against Botnia, claiming that it is a pollutant paper factory.

The Uruguayan government condemned the demonstration. This led to a dispute between the Argentine and Uruguayan government in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.