Brazilian state prosecutors attack Hydro

Brazil Norsk Hydro Brazil BelemPopulation in Belem, Para is concerned with the red mud flowing from the Hydro Alunorte compound, photo: internet reproduction (Rio Times)

Brazilian state prosecutors attack Hydro

State Prosecutor Ricardo Negrini in Brazil demands that Norsk Hydro responds to how they will solve the challenges in the country.

 

Negrini is leading a group dealing with environmental crimes in the Ministério Público of the State of Pará, a body that is often described as a prosecutor’s office, and sometimes as a Public Ombudsman. Dagens Næringsliv writes that the agency is one of Hydro’s most important negotiating counterparts in Brazil.

– Hydro must now answer to how this will be resolved. They have previously told us that they are working on different alternatives. The Ministério Público will support all measures that comply with Brazillian laws and doesn’t affect the environment and public health and safety, Negrini tells the newspaper.

Norsk Hydro announced on Wednesday that the company closes down the alumina refinery Alunorte, the Abras aluminium plant and the bauxite mine at Paragominas in Brazil. The reason is that an old disposal site is full to the brim.

Lacks license

The company is still missing a production license for a second deposit site, which Hydro has to take responsibility for themselves, according to a message from Ministério Público sent out Thursday evening.

– If the company knew that the first red sludge deposit was nearing end-of-life, they should have obtained a complete license for the second one. They have not received such a license, and thus they can not use the deposit, the state prosecutors write in the message.

 

Norway Today has previously written extensively about the leaks from the Alu Norte plant.

Hydro is accused of pollution in Brazil

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today