In a groundbreaking decision, a London judge has ruled that BHP Group, the global mining giant, is legally responsible for Brazil’s most catastrophic environmental disaster. The tragedy occurred a decade ago when a tailings dam collapsed, releasing millions of tons of toxic waste into the Doce River, claiming 19 lives and causing widespread devastation to downstream communities. Justice Finola O’Farrell of the High Court determined that BHP’s negligence played a pivotal role in the disaster, despite the company not owning the dam at the time. BHP, an Anglo-Australian corporation, holds a 50% stake in Samarco, the Brazilian firm operating the iron ore mine where the dam ruptured on November 5, 2015. The collapse unleashed enough waste to fill 13,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, obliterating the village of Bento Rodrigues and severely impacting other towns. The disaster also decimated 14 tons of freshwater fish and inflicted irreversible damage to 600 kilometers of the Doce River, a sacred site for the Krenak Indigenous people. Victims of the catastrophe hailed the ruling as a historic victory. Mônica dos Santos of the Commission for Those Affected by the Fundão Dam expressed relief, stating, ‘We had to cross the Atlantic Ocean to finally see accountability.’ Gelvana Rodrigues, who lost her 7-year-old son in the disaster, vowed to continue fighting for justice. The judge’s 222-page decision emphasized that the collapse was foreseeable and preventable, criticizing BHP for prioritizing production over safety. The claimants are seeking £36 billion ($47 billion) in compensation, with a second trial phase to determine damages. The case was filed in the UK due to BHP’s London-based legal entity. The ruling comes shortly after Brazil’s federal government reached a $23 billion settlement with Samarco and Vale, BHP’s joint venture partner, to address the disaster’s human, environmental, and infrastructural impacts. BHP had argued that the UK lawsuit was redundant, as it overlapped with ongoing legal proceedings in Brazil.
London judge finds global mining giant BHP Group liable in Brazil’s worst environmental disaster
