On January 25, 2019, a dam collapsed in Brumadinho, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The disaster killed 272 people and nearly 12 million cubic meters of toxic sludge flowed through local communities and water systems.
Despite clear warnings about the dam’s stability, the German company TÜV SÜD’s subsidiary had certified the dam as safe. Vale do Rio Doce continued operations that ultimately led to the disaster.
The collapse of the mining waste dam caused 272 deaths, as well as large-scale environmental devastation and the destruction of communities. A compensation agreement was signed two years later, regarding collective damages. The plans included socioeconomic investments, socio-environmental recovery, efforts to ensure water security, and improvements in public services and urban mobility works.What happened to those responsible?
The two companies, TÜV SÜD and Vale, along with 16 other individuals, have been indicted.
The defendants are currently working on presenting their defenses, and TÜV SÜD is being sued in Germany, where the company’s headquarters are located. In 2021, an agreement to repair the damages caused by the catastrophe was signed between the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, the government of Minas Gerais, and Vale.
The agreement provides for the payment of R$ 37.68 billion for 160 projects in the Paraopeba Basin, ranging from income transfer programs to environmental monitoring and safety and reconstruction works.
There is also an agreement for individual compensation payments, but this matter has not yet been initiated in court. Many families of victims and affected individuals have reached extrajudicial agreements with Vale. According to the mining company, more than 15,400 people have signed individual compensation agreements, resulting in a total compensation amount of R$ 3.5 billion.Source: Agência Brasil and CNN Brasil