José Soares, el CEO formado en la industria química empeñado en construir la celulosa de Altri en Galicia

José Soares, el CEO formado en la industria química empeñado en construir la celulosa de Altri en Galicia

The article exposes a significant disconnect between Altri’s public narrative of sustainable development and the industrial reality of its proposed cellulose plant in Palas de Rei. Despite claims of establishing an ecological, non-polluting textile bio-factory, the project actually involves massive production of wood pulp using toxic chemicals. This contradiction highlights a classic greenwashing strategy where environmental branding is used to mask the heavy industrial and chemical nature of the operation, misleading both policymakers and the public about the true environmental impact. Relevance to greenwashing is further underscored by the CEO’s background in the chemical industry and his use of "eco" prefixes to rebrand activities that involve clear pollution and resource depletion. The company has secured political support and European funds for decarbonization while simultaneously planning infrastructure that emits significant CO2 and draws heavily from local water sources. This demonstrates how corporations exploit regulatory gaps and political connections to legitimize environmentally damaging projects through selective transparency and misleading sustainability claims. Ultimately, the piece illustrates how greenwashing serves to suppress legitimate social opposition by creating a false image of consent and ecological compatibility. The widespread rejection by Galician citizens, informed by past industrial pollution experiences, contrasts sharply with the company’s assertions of local acceptance. This case serves as a critical warning about the dangers of accepting corporate environmental narratives at face value, emphasizing the need for rigorous scrutiny of technical documentation over marketing rhetoric.