The Human Cost of Going Green | Bloomberg Investigates

Summary

This video script delves into the environmental impact of aluminum production, highlighting the destruction of the Amazon rainforest for bauxite mining and the subsequent pollution from refineries. It raises awareness of the unintended consequences of 'green' choices, such as the Ford F-150's use of aluminum, and the health and environmental issues faced by local communities in Brazil. The script also discusses the legal battles against the Norwegian-owned Norsk Hydro, the push for sustainable supply chains, and the importance of consumer and corporate responsibility in addressing these environmental injustices.

Takeaways

• 🌳 The script discusses the environmental impact of the aluminum supply chain, starting from the Amazon rainforest to the production of vehicles like the Ford F-150.
• 🚜 Mining for bauxite, the primary source of aluminum, involves deforestation and significant waste production, affecting local communities and ecosystems in the Amazon.
• 🏭 The Alunorte Refinery in the Amazon, owned by Norsk Hydro, is implicated in causing environmental damage and health issues for nearby communities through waste disposal and alleged contamination.
• 📊 The demand for aluminum is increasing, especially with the shift towards electric vehicles, which require more aluminum for their construction compared to traditional vehicles.
• 🌐 There is a lack of transparency in the aluminum supply chain, making it difficult to trace the full journey from raw material to finished product.
• 📉 Norsk Hydro, a Norwegian company heavily criticized for its operations in the Amazon, is ironically owned by the Norwegian government, which is known for its strong environmental policies.
• 📚 The script highlights a lawsuit brought by local communities against Norsk Hydro for the environmental and health damages caused by the refinery's operations.
• 🏥 Health issues in the affected communities are severe, with residents showing high levels of heavy metals in their bodies, linked to the pollution from the refinery.
• 🛑 Legal battles for the communities have been challenging, with cases often stuck in the judicial system for years without resolution.
• 🌐 The lawsuit was eventually taken to the Netherlands, where the court ruled it had jurisdiction due to Norsk Hydro's operations there.
• 🔄 The script emphasizes the need for greater consumer awareness and corporate responsibility in ensuring that 'green' choices do not come at the expense of other communities' well-being.

Q & A

What is the connection between environmentally friendly choices and the destruction in the Amazon mentioned in the script?

The script discusses how the push for more environmentally friendly choices, such as using aluminum in vehicles for its lighter weight, indirectly contributes to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest due to the mining of bauxite, which is the primary source of aluminum.

What is the process of extracting bauxite from the Amazon rainforest as described in the script?

The process involves tearing down large swaths of natural rainforest to access the mines, scraping out long strips of soil to reach the bauxite, and then shipping the ore to a refinery along the Amazon River where it is further processed, resulting in massive amounts of waste.

What is the significance of the Alunorte Refinery in the Amazon rainforest?

The Alunorte Refinery is a massive industrial complex located within the Amazon rainforest that processes bauxite into alumina, a key component in aluminum production. It is significant due to its size, its location, and the environmental impact it has on the surrounding communities.

What are the allegations against the Alunorte Refinery regarding its impact on local communities?

There are allegations that the Alunorte Refinery has been slowly poisoning local communities over the past decade. In 2018, it is alleged that waste depositories overflowed during heavy rains, flooding communities with toxic sludge.

What health issues have the local communities around the Alunorte Refinery been facing?

The local communities have been facing considerable health problems, including high levels of heavy metals in their blood and hair, which are linked to the pollution from the refinery. They suffer from various illnesses and cannot drink the local water due to pollution.

What is the significance of the lawsuit involving the Alunorte Refinery and the local communities?

The lawsuit is significant as it represents the efforts of the local communities to seek justice and compensation for the health and environmental damage they have suffered due to the operations of the Alunorte Refinery.

Who is Norsk Hydro and what is their connection to the Alunorte Refinery?

Norsk Hydro is a company that owns the Alunorte Refinery in Barcarena. The Norwegian government is the largest shareholder of Norsk Hydro, which adds an ironic twist given Norway's strict environmental standards and its criticism of Brazil's environmental track record.

What is the difficulty in linking the pollution in local communities to the Alunorte Refinery as mentioned in the script?

The difficulty lies in establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the refinery's operations and the pollution. Activists and researchers have shown pollution in the communities, but they have not been able to definitively link the toxic metals in the water to those in the refinery's waste deposits.

What is the role of the Ford F-150 in the aluminum supply chain discussed in the script?

The Ford F-150, as a best-selling vehicle in the United States, is transitioning from steel to aluminum to make the vehicle lighter and more fuel-efficient. This shift is part of the push towards electric vehicles, which use more aluminum than traditional vehicles, contributing to the demand for aluminum and thus impacting the supply chain.

What is the significance of the lawsuit being brought in the Netherlands as mentioned in the script?

The significance is that the lawsuit is being taken to an international court due to the lack of progress in Brazilian courts. The Dutch court has jurisdiction because Norsk Hydro also operates in the Netherlands, and this move is an attempt to bypass the judicial limbo in Brazil.

What is the script's message regarding the concept of sustainable supply chains?

The script suggests that while companies are eager to claim their supply chains as sustainable, this claim often does not reflect the true environmental impact, especially in developing nations where legal standards may not equate to sustainable or green practices.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Environmental Impact of Aluminum Production

This paragraph discusses the unintended environmental consequences of 'green' choices, particularly the aluminum supply chain's connection to Amazon destruction. It explains how the production of aluminum, starting from mining bauxite in the Amazon, involves deforestation and generates significant waste. The Allende orche Refinery, situated within the rainforest, is highlighted for its massive scale and the waste it produces, which has allegedly led to the degradation of local land and the health of indigenous and black communities living nearby.

05:02

📋 Legal Battles Over Pollution in the Amazon

The second paragraph delves into the legal struggle of local communities against the aluminum refinery in Barcarena, which they claim has been polluting their environment. The residents, represented by an organization and individuals, have filed a lawsuit alleging health issues due to heavy metal contamination. Medical tests have revealed alarming levels of metals in their bodies. Despite the refinery's denial of any wrongdoing, the community faces severe health and environmental challenges.

10:05

🏭 The Paradox of Norwegian Investment in Amazon Pollution

This section highlights the irony of Norsk Hydro, a company owned largely by the Norwegian government, being accused of polluting the Amazon while Norway is known for its strict environmental standards. The narrative contrasts Norway's domestic push for hydroelectricity with its involvement in the Amazon's environmental issues. It also discusses the legal efforts in Brazil to seek redress for affected communities and the challenges faced in linking the pollution directly to the refinery.

15:05

🚛 Tracing the Aluminum Supply Chain to Ford

The fourth paragraph examines the complexity of the aluminum supply chain, from bauxite mining to the production of aluminum used in vehicles, particularly the Ford F-150. It details the increased demand for aluminum due to the shift towards electric vehicles and the implications for U.S. environmental goals. The narrative reveals Ford's initial unawareness of the direct links between their supply chain and the Amazon's destruction, leading to a commitment to investigate these connections.

20:20

🌐 International Legal Action and Supply Chain Scrutiny

The final paragraph reports on the outcome of the story's publication, which spurred further investigation into the U.S. aluminum supply chain's ties to Amazon destruction and pollution. It discusses the international legal action taken by Brazilian lawyers in the Netherlands and the need for end-users and companies, like Ford, to demand higher environmental standards throughout the supply chain to ensure true sustainability.

Keywords

💡Aluminum Supply Chain

The aluminum supply chain refers to the sequence of steps through which raw materials are extracted, processed, and manufactured into aluminum products. In the video, it is highlighted as a critical factor connecting environmental awareness with actual destruction in the Amazon, where bauxite, the primary source of aluminum, is mined, leading to deforestation and pollution.

💡Environmental Awareness

Environmental awareness pertains to the consciousness of individuals about the natural environment and the impact of human activities on it. The script discusses how consumers' push for greener choices inadvertently contributes to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest due to increased demand for aluminum, which is perceived as a more eco-friendly material.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation is the large-scale removal of trees and forests, often for economic or agricultural reasons. The video script describes how mining for bauxite in the Amazon involves tearing down large areas of natural rainforest, which is a direct consequence of the aluminum supply chain and the push for greener materials.

💡Bauxite

Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum and the source material for producing aluminum through a process of refining. The script mentions bauxite as the starting point of the aluminum supply chain, with mining operations causing significant environmental damage in the Amazon region.

💡Alumina

Alumina, also known as aluminum oxide, is a white powder derived from bauxite through a refining process. It is a key intermediate in the production of aluminum. The video script explains the process of converting bauxite to alumina, which generates massive amounts of waste and contributes to environmental pollution.

💡Refinery

A refinery is a facility where raw materials are processed into a finished product. In the context of the video, the script describes the Alunorte refinery located within the Amazon rainforest, which is responsible for producing alumina from bauxite and generating significant waste and pollution.

💡Pollution

Pollution refers to the presence in or introduction into the environment of substances or things that cause harm or discomfort to living organisms. The video discusses the pollution caused by the aluminum industry, particularly the waste from refineries that has allegedly poisoned communities and the surrounding environment in the Amazon.

💡Indigenous Communities

Indigenous communities are groups of people who are the original inhabitants of a particular region and have a distinct cultural identity. The script highlights the impact of the aluminum industry on these communities in the Amazon, who are facing health issues and loss of their traditional lands due to pollution and deforestation.

💡Sustainable Supply Chains

Sustainable supply chains are those that are managed in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts, ensures social equity, and promotes economic viability. The video critiques the concept of sustainable supply chains, pointing out that what is legal in developing nations may not necessarily be sustainable or green, and that companies need to do more to ensure true sustainability.

💡Legal vs. Sustainable

The distinction between what is legal and what is sustainable is a central theme in the video. It points out that just because a practice is legal, it does not mean it is environmentally responsible. The script argues that companies and consumers need to push for higher environmental standards beyond what is merely legal.

💡Transparency

Transparency in supply chains refers to the openness and clarity with which companies disclose information about their sourcing and production processes. The video emphasizes the difficulty in tracing the aluminum supply chain and the lack of transparency, which makes it hard to ensure that environmental and social standards are being met.

Highlights

The connection between environmentally friendly choices and the destruction in the Amazon due to the aluminum supply chain.

The Ford F-150's production in Dearborn and its link to the Amazon rainforest.

The impact of mining on the Amazon region, including deforestation and bauxite extraction.

The environmental and health effects of the Alunorte refinery within the Amazon rainforest.

The transformation of the landscape around the Alunorte refinery from fertile to barren due to pollution.

Allegations of the refinery slowly poisoning local communities over the past decade.

The lawsuit brought by residents against the aluminum refinery and the health issues faced by the community.

The Norwegian government's role as the largest shareholder of Norsk Hydro, which is accused of polluting the Amazon.

The irony of Norway, a strong environmental advocate, being implicated in Amazon pollution through Norsk Hydro.

The challenges faced by Brazilian lawyer Ismail Morris in seeking justice for affected communities.

The difficulty in proving the direct link between the refinery and the pollution affecting communities.

The lack of transparency in the aluminum supply chain and the effort to trace it from Brazil to the U.S.

Ford's initial unawareness of the direct links between their supply chain and the Amazon, leading to an investigation.

The importance of sustainable supply chains and the discrepancy between legality and sustainability in developing nations.

The shift from steel to aluminum in vehicles for efficiency and the impact on the aluminum supply chain.

The lawsuit's move from Brazilian courts to the Netherlands due to judicial stagnation.

The push for higher environmental standards in the aluminum supply chain after the story's publication.

The need for end-users and companies to demand better environmental practices to effect change at the source.

Transcripts

choice

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let's go

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El centimeters

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nobody had looked into the aluminum

supply chain and made that direct

connection from turning green and going

more environmentally aware to in fact

actual destruction in the Amazon added

source

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part of that supply chain starts deep in

the Amazon and then it ends up in

Dearborn where the Ford F-150 is made

consumers in the United States they're

not necessarily understanding that those

green choices

come with an impact

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mining

sort of by definition is always a dirty

business

when you're talking about mines in the

Amazon region you have to first tear

down large swaths of natural rainforest

just to get to the mines

they scrape out long strips of soil they

get to the bauxite then they claw that

box side out then they ship that ore to

a Refinery along the Amazon River and

that ore is separated and It produced

massive amounts of waste on both of

those steps

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the Allen orche Refinery is located

within the Amazon rainforest

it is unattributary of the Amazon River

itself and it is an absolutely enormous

complex

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completely surrounded by Green in

communities that have lived around there

for decades it came in it built this

entire huge industrial complex the

entire thing is a gigantic area of smoke

stocks and slurry containers and waste

ponds

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in order to separate the red mud that

turns into the white powder alumina

that's used to make aluminum you have to

add caustic soda

heat it to very high temperatures and

then add lime the waste from that

process goes into these waste area

essentially ponds but they're giant

they're like Lakes

the landscape around that area has just

changed from night and day it used to be

the case where it was very fertile land

they were able to grow acai there they

were they had mango trees and they were

able to survive on this land now they

say that nothing grows

these are very poor communities they're

largely indigenous communities or black

communities

they're extremely vulnerable

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there are allegations that over the past

more than 10 years the refinery has been

slowly poisoning the communities

it's not all by

there's a number of plants but Norse is

the largest plant that's there

there are allegations that in 2018

these big waste depositories that they

maintain

overflowed during heavy rains and

flooded the communities with this toxic

sludge of of water is

foreign

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completely denies that anything happened

at that time

but the people say that it did

a consequences

foreign

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foreign

foreign

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foreign

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last year I heard about this lawsuit

that the residents were bringing against

a aluminum refinery

when I traveled to bark Arena I asked to

meet the claimants in this lawsuit and

there are uh nine people who are part of

the lawsuit and then they're it's a 10th

organization that is part of the lawsuit

that is an organization that represents

indigenous people in the area those

there are 11 000 people who are part of

that suit

the government sponsored a medical test

for people in the communities to test

the levels of heavy metals in their

blood and in their hair and people only

have that one medical exam to actually

verify the fact that they've been

feeling sick for years

people were literally chasing me down

the street with their health reports

wanting to show me how sick they are

from the pollution one lady had a 175

times the allowable amount of aluminum

in her hair

multiple times the amount of of lead in

her bloodstream these people suffer

considerable health problems they can't

drink the water the water is completely

polluted and the entire area in

baccarena it's a terrible situation for

a lot of the people in this community

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you know

Deli

kids

another five

I sat down with Maria dusokoho who is

the lead of the kilimbola association in

the area and her Association is the lead

plaintiff in this case

she's she's lost she lost a grandson a

couple years back

he was born with skin that was so thin

she says that the his intestines

actually burst out of his body when he

was born

foreign

boom boom

water National today

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thank you

Alo norche is the refinery in bakarena

which is owned by a company named

norskihidro the largest shareholders of

norskidro is the Norwegian government

which has been one of the biggest

critics of Brazil's track record when it

comes to protecting the Amazon

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in Norway there's an enormous push

towards environmental use of

hydroelectricity it's all very green

they're very strict environmental

standards that companies have to adhere

to in Norway and the irony here and

something that a lot of people in the

Amazon are upset about is the fact that

a government of Norway has come to

Brazil criticized the government for in

fact its destruction of the Amazon and

at the same time is the largest owner of

a company that is accused of polluting

in the Amazon

oh

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boy

foreign

the lawyer in Brazil Ismail Morris he

has tried and tried in Brazilian courts

to bring this case to get redressed for

these people they don't have access to

basic health care basic medical exams

and so what he's been fighting for in

Brazilian courts is to get the company

to at least pay some contribution or

provide medical care or do something for

the surrounding Community for people who

say our health is affected our drinking

water is affected we need help

foreign

funny

status is

foreign

activists and researchers they've

they've been studying this and they've

proven over and over and over that these

communities are are polluted what they

haven't been able to do is make that

final leap from all this pollution to

the uh Refinery so they haven't been

able to make that final jump from cause

and effect what they need is they need

the government to say okay

you need to open your doors you need to

let them get this material so that they

can compare the composition

from the toxic Metals in the water to

the toxic Metals in these uh the waste

deposits

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it's extremely difficult to chase an

aluminum supply chain there's very

little transparency

I tracked ships with a vessel finder

online you could see where the ships

were leaving which port and going to

another Port carrying what kind of cargo

it took me a considerable amount of time

in fact a few months to be able to

finally trace the entire supply chain

from bauxite to Illumina to aluminum

then into the United States to part

suppliers and then ultimately to Ford

time for electric

turn into lightning

an electric truck that can match the

Ambitions of this nation even before

Ford announced that it was going to make

an electric version of its best-selling

pickup it had already started switching

from steel to aluminum because aluminum

is a lot lighter and so it reduces gas

consumption in these vehicles and makes

it generally more efficient of a vehicle

the switch into electric vehicles

accelerated that drive even more to use

more and more aluminum the typical

vehicle in the United States uses about

500 pounds of aluminum

and an EV will use 150 pounds more than

that

this shift from gasoline fueled Vehicles

into electric vehicles is hugely

important for the U.S government's goal

of reducing carbon emissions

but in order to complete that shift car

makers need to reach Middle America and

so the Ford F-150 is

targets that audience perfectly

remember where you were when you heard

about it

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so when I approached Ford they were

initially unaware of the lynx direct

links between their supply chain and

Brazil so it took my researching the

whole supply chain finding those links

via Canada into the US that actually

caused Ford to then say we are now going

to investigate our supply chain

consumers need to understand that

there's a cost of going green and until

we can put enough awareness and enough

attention and enough pressure on places

that are also providing those natural

resources that are allowing us to make

green choices the rest of the world is

going to suffer the consequences

sustainable Supply chains have become

sort of all the rage recently

companies are are rushing to be able to

say that their supply chains are

sustainable

in a lot of cases they haven't actually

done the work to connect all these dots

to the ground so they say everything is

legal it's a sustainable supply chain

and what you find in these developing

nations is that what's legal can't be

the bar of what's sustainable and what's

green

foreign

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sequence

aluminum it makes our lives lighter and

easier

after five attempts to sue Norse kydro

in Brazilian courts the Brazilian lawyer

teamed up with a global law firm and

decided to bring the suit in the

Netherlands and there's a court there

that ruled that it has jurisdiction over

the case because North Hydro also

operates in the Netherlands and the

parent company is the same as the one

that is operating the elenorche refinery

in the Amazon they took the case abroad

because at home they'd had several cases

that had been stuck in the judicial

system for years it is very easy to get

cases and leave them into like sort of

this judicial limbo in which they will

just never be resolved

processors

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skills

massage

limitations

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spirited

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so after we publish the story uh there

have been a number of inquiries closer

looks at the aluminum supply chain in

the U.S it really does appear that

a very large portion of the aluminum in

the U.S supply chain is linked to this

destruction in the Amazon and the

pollution that is alleged to be from

this refinery in Brazil

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sure from the end users and that means

companies like Ford going back through

their supply chain and saying hey where

do you get this Illumina from where do

you get this bauxite from and pressing

for more higher environmental standards

because the environmental standards in

Brazil are pretty lacks and it's only

when companies at the end of the chain

and consumers who buy those products and

put the pressure on the companies demand

higher standards that those standards

get fixed at the source

foreign

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even sexy and his prefer cases

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foreign

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