UK judge finds BHP Group liable in Brazil's worst environmental disaster

"A dam collapse in 2015 unleashed tonnes of toxic waste into a major river, killing 19 and devastating villages downstream. A judge in the United Kingdom has ruled that global mining giant BHP Group is liable in Brazil's worst environmental disaster, in a lawsuit the claimants' lawyers previously valued at up to 36 billion pounds ($48bn). High Court Justice Finola O'Farrell said on Friday that Australia-based BHP was responsible despite not owning the dam at the time."

"Enough mine waste to fill 13,000 Olympic-size swimming pools poured into the Doce River in southeastern Brazil. Sludge from the burst dam destroyed the once-bustling village of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, badly damaged other towns, left thousands homeless and flooded forests. The disaster also killed 14 tonnes of freshwater fish and polluted 600km (370 miles) of the Doce River, according to a study by the University of Ulster in the UK."

"O'Farrell said in her ruling that continuing to raise the height of the dam when it was not safe to do so was the direct and immediate cause of the dam's collapse, meaning BHP was liable under Brazilian law. BHP said it would appeal against the ruling and continue to fight the lawsuit. BHP's President Minerals Americas Brandon Craig said in a statement that 240,000 claimants in the London lawsuit have already been paid compensation in Brazil."

On November 5, 2015 a tailings dam at the Samarco iron ore mine ruptured, releasing enough mine waste to fill roughly 13,000 Olympic-size swimming pools into the Doce River. The toxic sludge destroyed Bento Rodrigues, damaged towns, flooded forests, left thousands homeless, killed 19 people and 14 tonnes of freshwater fish, and polluted about 600 km of the river. Anglo-Australian BHP owned 50% of Samarco at the time and a UK judge ruled BHP liable because unsafe raising of the dam's height was the direct and immediate cause of the collapse. BHP plans to appeal; 240,000 claimants have received compensation in Brazil.

Read at www.aljazeera.com