Finding the best technical solution

Workshop about handling tailings had live transmission on Renova Foundaion’s site
(Renova Foundaion’s Archive)

The tailings that are still deposited in the stream bed and banks of the rivers have been repeatedly analysed and considered non-toxic in studies carried out by Samarco in conjunction with government agencies. This is an important conclusion that will influence decision-making on the steps to be taken. Other issues still need to be answered by experts:
How should we handle the iron ore tailings lying at the bottom of the Doce river? Which solutions are feasible taking into account environmental, social, technical and time constraints? To broaden our expertise in light of this challenge, three events were held at the start of 2017, with the participation of environmental agencies, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, consultants, and experts.
The last workshop, on March 13 was attended by: Public Prosecutor’s Office, Department of Urban Development, Housing and Sanitation, Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), National Water Agency (ANA), Project Tamar-ICMBio, Committee for the Doce River Drainage Basin, Integrated Development Institute of Minas Gerais (Indi), Minas Gerais Institute of Water Management (Igam), State Forestry Institute, the Environmental and Sustainable Development Office of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo State Water Resources and Environmental Agency (IEMA), Espírito Santo Department of Labor and Social Action, Espirito Santo State Secretary of Agriculture, Food Supply, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Forestry and Livestock Raising Defense Institute of Espírito Santo and the Healthcare Department of Espírito Santo.

We jointly compiled guidelines, concepts, methods, techniques, governance and tools to help us determine the best way to handle each section of the river. While working on this solution we have made progress in other areas: