The aftermath of Brazil’s 2015 Samarco mining waste disaster. Image by Paul Robson
The full UNEP report into mining waste disasters has been released today, following October’s assessment summary of the report.
An international coalition of non-governmental organizations, including London Mining Network, support the recommendations of the new report which urges governments and industry to act to stop deadly and damaging mining spills worldwide. UNEP calls for an urgent UN Environment Stakeholder Forum to strengthen regulations internationally.
The 70-page document, entitled Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident, highlights over 40 mining waste failures over the last decade, including 7 failures significant enough to make international news since 2014. These failures have killed some 341 people since 2008 and damaged hundreds of kilometres of waterways, affected drinking water sources, and jeopardized the livelihoods of dozens of communities.