WILLEMSTAD – The Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) has confirmed that the soil in the Libu salt pans shows no signs of oil contamination or the presence of harmful chemicals, following a series of laboratory tests prompted by a widely shared social media video.
The video, which suggested that a significant amount of oil was present in the salt pans near Weg naar Bullenbaai, raised public concern and led GMN to initiate its own investigation. Soil samples were taken from the area and sent to a certified laboratory in the Netherlands for detailed analysis. According to GMN, the results showed no evidence of hydrocarbon pollution, and all values fell within acceptable limits for clean soil as defined by Dutch standards.
During the testing process, multiple groups of substances were examined, including a specific analysis to detect hydrocarbons. The ministry emphasized that none were found, and the soil did not show abnormalities that would indicate contamination.
The investigation was expanded after a report dated 13 October 2023 from the Analytisch Diagnostisch Centrum (ADC) resurfaced on social media in April, claiming that the chemical tributyl phosphate had been detected in the salt pan. Although GMN had already carried out extensive testing, the ministry ordered new soil samples and asked ADC to verify whether the substance was present.
ADC’s updated analysis, completed in October 2025, confirmed that no tributyl phosphate was detected in any of the samples. With both the Dutch laboratory findings and the ADC results aligning, GMN states that the Libu salt pans are not contaminated with hydrocarbons, tributyl phosphate, or any other harmful substances.
The ministry reiterates that the area is environmentally safe and that the earlier concerns raised on social media were unfounded. GMN adds that it remains committed to ongoing environmental monitoring to protect public health and Curaçao’s natural habitats.