Hydro switches area manager to solve ‘Alunorte crisis’

Norsk Hydro BrazilNorsk Hydro, Photo: Norway Today Media

Hydro switches Area Manager in Brazil to solve their challenging situation.The Alunorte refinery has been subject to production cuts following accusations of contaminated water.

 

Hydro’s CEO, Svein Richard Brandtzæg has appointed Finance Director, Eivind Kallevik, as interim manager of Hydro’s aluminum refinery in Alunorte with immediate effect, the company said in a stock exchange announcement on Monday morning.

“The challenging situation at Alunorte requires dedicated focus and organisation, beyond operational competence and capabilities,”said Brandtzæg.

Hydro will also engage an internationally recognised environmental consulting company to conduct an independent review of Alunorte.

Two weeks ago, the Department of Health in Brazil announced that high levels of lead, sodium, and other harmful substances had been recorded in drinking water up to 2 kilometres away, the Rio Times newspaper wrote. Hydro was then charged with production cuts of 50% by Brazilian environmental authorities.

On Friday, Hydro announced to NTB news that the aluminum giant had not seen signs of emissions from Alunorte. The court order came because Hydro had not complied with the requirements for water collection according to Hydro’s communications director, Molland.

“A requirement from the environmental authorities is that the landfills that collect water and liquid should be 1 metre away from the water level at the top of the pool. After heavy rainfall, the distance had become too short, so because we did not reach the 1 metre requirement by the deadline of February the 26th, we received this order’’, he said.

Hydro is South America’s largest aluminum company after purchasing the Brazilian mining company, ‘Vales Aluminum’ in the north of Pará in 2011. Alunorte is the world’s largest aluminum refinery.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today