environmental pollution liability News

Brazil Rejects Vale, BHP Settlement Offer for Deadly 2015 Mining Disaster

Brazil and the state of Espirito Santo have rejected a proposal by miners Vale and BHP regarding reparations for the deadly 2015 Mariana tailings dam burst, the federal government said on Friday. The statement did not include Minas Gerais state, …

Vale, BHP Offer $25B Settlement for Mining Disaster, but Brazil Authorities Want More

Vale, BHP and their joint venture Samarco have presented Brazilian authorities with a settlement proposal related to reparations for the 2015 Mariana tailings dam burst, but local prosecutors still want them to bump up their offer. The proposal, the Brazilian …

What Do Countries and Companies Want in Global Plastic Treaty Talks?

Global leaders will gather in Canada’s capital this week to discuss progress in drafting a first-ever global treaty to rein in soaring plastic pollution by the end of the year. The hoped-for treaty, due to be agreed at the end …

Vale Faces $3.8 Billion Claim in Dutch Case Over Mariana Dam Break in Brazil

Victims of the 2015 Mariana dam break in Brazil are seeking about 3 billion pounds ($3.8 billion) in compensation from mining companies Vale and Samarco in a new lawsuit launched in the Netherlands, their lawyers said on Tuesday. The compensation …

Chemicals in Plastics Far More Numerous Than Previous Estimates, Report Says

At least 3,000 more chemicals are in plastics — from food packaging to toys to medical devices — than previously estimated by environment agencies, a report published on Thursday found, raising questions over pollution and consumer safety. While the United …

Southern Water Fined for Sewage Spill That Killed 2,000 Fish in England

Southern Water was fined £330,000 on Tuesday after admitting a raw sewage spill that killed thousands of fish on the edge of England’s South Downs National Park. Southern, which supplies more than 4.6 million people in England, acknowledged that sewage …

EU Lawmakers Approve Tougher Penalties for Environmental Crimes

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved tougher penalties for environmental crimes such as illegal timber trade, with offenses punishable by up to 10 years in prison and company directors prosecuted for corporate wrongdoing. “It is about time we fought cross-border …

Trinidad and Tobago’s Government Confirms Fuel Oil Is Leaking off Tobago’s Coast

Trinidad and Tobago’s government on Friday confirmed the refined product leaking from a barge that struck a reef and overturned off the coast of Tobago was tested and determined to be a type of fuel oil. The leak, which remains …

Turkey Plans Fine for SSR’s Local Unit Over Mine Spill

Turkey plans to fine a unit of SSR Mining Inc. after a landslide at its Copler gold mine and have the company cover the cost of removing millions of tons of waste, three government officials said. Anagold Madencilik, 80%-owned by …

Rio Tinto Faces Pressure From Investors Over Water Contamination Claims

Global mining giant Rio Tinto, which sparked outrage after destroying an ancient Indigenous site in Australia in 2020, faces new pressure from socially conscious investors and lenders, this time on water practices at two of its mines. A group representing …