Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

English Court Holds BHP Liable for Dam Disaster

11/21/2025

26 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

On November 14, 2025, the English High Court ruled BHP Group liable under Brazilian law for the Fundão dam collapse, despite not owning the dam.
The court cited BHP's control over its Brazilian subsidiary Samarco and negligence in acting on known risks.
The ruling involves more than 600,000 claimants and BHP plans to appeal, with further trials extending to 2028.

History

Historical Context

The Fundão dam collapse in Brazil on November 5, 2015, resulted in 19 deaths and extensive environmental damage, releasing toxic waste into the Rio Doce. The disaster, deemed Brazil's worst environmental crisis, led to significant legal actions against Samarco and its owners, BHP and Vale. A 2025 English High Court ruling found BHP liable, highlighting ongoing accountability issues for multinational corporations in environmental disasters.

1 of 2

Story summary

On November 14, 2025, the English High Court ruled BHP Group liable under Brazilian law for the Fundão dam collapse, despite not owning the dam.
The court cited BHP's control over its Brazilian subsidiary Samarco and negligence in acting on known risks.
The ruling involves more than 600,000 claimants and BHP plans to appeal, with further trials extending to 2028.

1 / 2