2016-02-11
The collapse of the BHP/Vale tailings dams at the Samarco mine in Brazil is an ongoing disaster. In November last year, the Senate offered condolences to communities affected in the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history.
"Today I tabled a letter from affected communities in Brazil, calling on the Foreign Minister to respond," Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today.
"The collapse of the Fundao dam has released 62 thousand million cubic metres of contaminated mining debris - the equivalent of 25 thousand Olympic sized pools - into the environment.
"The contaminated waste has spread over 300 km from the source, reaching the Atlantic Ocean through the river Doce, in which Brazilian scientists have found heavy hazardous metals such as mercury, arsenic, plumb, aluminium, nickel, chrome and antimony at above acceptable levels.
"Five hundred thousand people's water supply has been effected. Seventeen people are dead, two still missing. Many thousands of people are displaced.
"As a 50% owner of the mine, Australian company BHP is half responsible for the disaster.
"BHP was warned that the integrity of their tailings dams was questionable in a 2013 report, and did not have an emergency or early warning plan in place.
"Australian organisations and the Australian parliament will not let the terrible situation of the Brazilian people affected by the Samarco disaster fade of sight and out of mind.
The letter Senator Ludlam tabled today is below