Australia's BHP denies UN report on 'toxic' mine spill from collapsed dam in Brazil

Friday, November 27th 2015 - 11:07 UTC

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Australian mining giant BHP says mud spilled by the devastating collapse of a dam at a Brazilian mine is not toxic. On Thursday the UN said the dam burst at the Samarco mine unleashed a flood equivalent to “20,000 Olympic swimming pools of toxic mud”. Read full article

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Hepatia
Just as British Petroleum evaded its responsibility in the Gulf so now we have another British company doing the same. The USG should have liquidated British Petroleum and used the proceeds to repair the Gulf. Likewise, the Brazilian government should liquidate BHP and use the proceeds to repair MG and ES.
Nov 29th, 2015 - 03:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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GeoffWard2
Hepatia #1
BP has reached an $18.7bn (£12bn) settlement with the US ... has set aside around $43bn to compensate victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. ... so $43bn is avoiding responsibility! Rubbish.

The Vale/BHP tailings are inert. The Gulf spill, not so.
What we need to see is WHY the dams collapsed. Corruption?
Nov 29th, 2015 - 05:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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redp0ll
@1 Lily, please do your research before you sound off. BHP ia an Australian company and Vale is Brazilian.
Nov 29th, 2015 - 07:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Hepatia
http://en.mercopress.com/2015/11/27/australia-s-bhp-denies-un-report-on-toxic-mine-spill-from-collapsed-dam-in-brazil#comment421727: The status of tailings as inert is what BHP is asserting. They have not provided any evidence to support their assertion. On the other hand the fact that the sludge is highly toxic is supported by the evidence.

Corruption is a possibility. British companies are, in general, notoriously corrupt. BHP does have a very bad reputation for not meeting its regulatory requirements. But it often seems to be able to avoid its responsibilities after the inevitable failure. Which is what it is trying to do now. Its assertion that the tailings are “inert” is one aspect of this attempt to avoid its responsibilities.

The Brazilian government should liquidate BHP and use the proceeds as partial compensation. That is what the US government should have done with British Petroleum after the Gulf disaster.
Dec 03rd, 2015 - 01:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Skip
Hepatia

Your lies just make people laugh.

Every village needs an idiot, I guess.
Dec 03rd, 2015 - 11:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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