Victims of the M dam disasterariana accuse mining giant BHP of 'environmental racism'

Around 720 Brazilians are suing BHP, an Anglo-Australian company that until recently was based in London, for its role in the Madeira dam disaster.ariain 2015.

The company denies responsibility. It is facing compensation claims worth £36 billion, in the world's largest group claim in English legal history.

In November 2015, the Fundão tailings dam, co-owned by BHP with Brazilian iron ore producer Vale, burst. It released 60 million cubic meters of toxic waste, which destroyed the land below and polluted everything in its path for more than 600 km.

The waste killed 19 people, buried villages, left thousands homeless and affected the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands. The impact continues to wreak havoc on the ecosystem and environment, as well as people's health.

"We believe BHP is guilty of environmental racism”, said the letter, delivered to the British Prime Minister on Thursday (13) by some of those affected. “Our indigenous communities are the most affected by the disaster; our communities that were most at risk from mining activities; and our communities that continue to be denied justice by BHP. "

Environmental racism is a reality that affects vulnerable populations

Environmental racism is a term used to refer to the process of discrimination that peripheralized populations or those made up of ethnic minorities suffer through environmental degradation. The expression denounces that the distribution of environmental impacts does not occur equally among the population, with the marginalized and historically invisible portion being the most affected by pollution and environmental degradation.

A BHP spokesperson said the company “strongly rejects any accusations of environmental racism".

The letter calls on the UK government to recognize its “vital role in preventing such disasters from happening again" is for "crack down on British companies that fail to live up to their social and environmental credentials at home and abroad".

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