”Our confidence in the Vale after the accident is non-existent,” says John Howchin, Secretary-General for the Council on Ethics of the AP funds.
At an earlier dam accident, in November of 2015, 19 people died in the vicinity of the city of Mariana, in what was then described as Brazil’s worst environmental disaster. The disaster resulted in an extensive amount of fish killed and the severe consequences for the environment in the area. 43.7 million cubic metres of muddy water rushed in, covering the area surrounding the city. The country’s biggest mining company Vale was involved in that accident as well.
the AP funds’ Council on Ethics defended the investment of 1.7 billion SEK into the company by saying that Vale had ”taken action by inspecting other mining dams and by helping the inhabitants in the region. As long As nothing else is revealed, the Council on Ethics will regard this as an accident and will observe the future development”.
After the new accident, the Secretary-General of the Council on Ethics, John Howchin, is very critical of how the company has managed their security.
” I’m so angry I am lost for words. If there was any risk of an accident one has to question the measures the ceilings by the company. The confidence in the Vale is non-existent.
” We will review our recommendations and it is extremely difficult for me to see that we will not recommend the AP funds to exclude this company.
Translation: Evelyn Jones
English version: the AP funds ‘ ethics council: non-Existent confidence of the mining company
