Norsk Hydro sued in the Netherlands over contamination in Brazil
Norwegian energy company Norsk Hydro is being sued in the Netherlands over allegations that its aluminium plant in Brazil polluted rivers and caused health problems for locals during a 20 year peiod.
The case has been filed before the Rotterdam District Court by victims and a group representing indigenous families. The filing names Norsk, seven of its subsidiary companies and shareholders as it seeks to establish liability.
The Alunorte plant in Barcarena, Brazil is the largest aluminium plant in the world. Claimants allege leaks from the plant contaminated nearby rivers causing health problems, including skin diseases and cancer, and birth defects. The case alleges that in 2018, heavy rainfall caused the plant’s reservoirs to overflow and “turned the rivers red”.
Lawyers representing the claimants told AFP that residents’ health problems date back at least two decades. “Many of the indigenous tribes [have suffered] from poor physical health, as well as taking away their income and access to food and clean water,” the lawyers said.
Norsk Hydro denies any wrongdoing. It told AFP that it has asked the Dutch court to delay the case ahead of the outcome of an investigation by Brazilian authorities, which have accused the Alunorte plant of contaminating local drinking water supplies.
“[The] allegations remain unsubstantiated and there is no evidence of contamination in the communities caused by Alunorte related to the February 2018 rainfall,” a spokesperson for Norsk told AFP.
Last May, a Dutch court found in favour of environmental groups led by Friends of the Earth in a case against Shell. Shell has appealed the ruling, which ordered the energy firm to cut its global carbon emissions by 45% by 2030.
