Global InformationBarcarena water contamination information
| Date | February 16–18, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | Barcarena, Brazil |
| Coordinates | 1°32′48″S 48°44′9″W / 1.54667°S 48.73583°W |
| Type | Dam failure |
| Cause | Leakage of tailing dam due to excessive rain |
| Participants |
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| Property damage | Contamination of drainage basin responsible for local water supply |
Following heavy rains in February 2018, the City of Barcarena, in the Brazilian state of Pará, experienced severe flooding.[1] The Brazilian Government determined that the flooding had compromised containment pools at the Alunorte alumina refinery, citing elevated levels of heavy metals in the surrounding waters.[2] Norsk Hydro, the majority owner of Alunorte, denied responsibility for contamination outside of its facility.[1] In 2021, residents of the state of Pará filed a lawsuit against Norsk Hydro citing environmental impacts by its refinery operations.[3]
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Location of Alunorte in Barcarena, Brazil- ^ a b Phillips, Dom (16 March 2018). "Pollution, illness, threats and murder: is this Amazon factory the link?". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ Wijnen, Pieter (25 February 2018). "Hydro is accused of pollution in Brazil". Norway Today. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ Fouche, Gwladys (9 February 2021). "Brazil group sues Norsk Hydro over alleged pollution". Reuters. Retrieved 8 February 2022.