Journal article
Understanding the Science Surrounding Environmental Consequences and Rehabilitation Actions Stemming from Brazil's Fundão Tailing Dam Rupture
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol.16(5), pp.569-571
09/2020
PMID: 32691915
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in November 2015 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, resulted in the release of approximately 36 million cubic meters of primarily clay and fine sand–sized particles to the environment. The spill event extended over 600 km of the Rio Doce catchment and affected terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and compromised socioeconomic activities throughout the watershed. Numerous monitoring programs and research investigations in the catchment since that time contribute to better understanding of the environmental consequences and plans for rehabilitation of the landscape. The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Latin America Geographic Unit hosted the Fundão Dam Rupture Science Meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, in June 2019 to report on the findings from these studies. Fourteen technical papers from that meeting are presented in this Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM) special series. These papers and the technical discussions at the meeting reflect the consensus opinions of scientists who attended the symposium. Delegates generally agreed that society must commit to rehabilitation after disasters based on the best available evidence describing the structure and function of affected ecosystems. Scientists can play a crucial role in prioritizing and facilitating rehabilitation actions, as well as monitoring for progress toward achieving goals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:569–571. © 2020 SETAC
RESUMO
O colapso da barragem de rejeitos de Fundão em novembro de 2015 em Minas Gerais, Brasil, resultou na liberação de aproximadamente 36 milhões de metros cúbicos de partículas do tamanho de argila e areia fina para o meio ambiente. O derramamento se estendeu por mais de 600 km na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Doce, afetou os ecossistemas terrestres e aquáticos e comprometeu as atividades socioeconômicas em toda a bacia hidrográfica. Numerosos programas de monitoramento e pesquisas na bacia, desde então, contribuem para uma melhor compreensão das consequências ambientais e para os planos de reabilitação da paisagem. A Sociedade de Toxicologia e Química Ambiental (SETAC) da América Latina sediou o Encontro Científico sobre a Ruptura da Barragem do Fundão em Brasília, Brasil, em junho de 2019, para relatar os resultados desses estudos. Quatorze artigos técnicos dessa reunião são apresentados nesta série especial da revista Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM). Esses artigos e as discussões técnicas do encontro refletem as opiniões consensuais dos cientistas que participaram do simpósio. Os delegados em geral concordaram que a sociedade deve se comprometer com a reabilitação após desastres com base na melhor evidência disponível que descreva a estrutura e a função dos ecossistemas afetados. Os cientistas podem desempenhar um papel crucial na priorização e facilitação de ações de reabilitação, bem como no acompanhamento da evolução do cumprimento das metas. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:569–571. © 2020 SETAC
KEY POINTS
This article introduces the 14 articles of the special series “SETAC Fundão Dam Rupture Environmental Science Meeting” published in this issue of IEAM.
The 14 articles in the series report on findings from research and monitoring programs resulting from the 2015 rupture of the Fundão tailings dam that contribute to better understanding of the environmental consequences and rehabilitation of the landscape.
The meeting subjects were very broad, as befitting such a large and topical subject, and benefitted from dedicated discussion for each stream and a final general discussion.
The meeting concluded that society needed to be able to act on the basis of the best available evidence, and scientists had a crucial role to play in facilitating that.
Details
- Title
- Understanding the Science Surrounding Environmental Consequences and Rehabilitation Actions Stemming from Brazil's Fundão Tailing Dam Rupture
- Creators
- Ross Edward William Smith (Author) - Southern Cross UniversityAdalberto Luis Val (Author) - INPA/MCTI
- Publication Details
- Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol.16(5), pp.569-571
- Number of pages
- 3
- Identifiers
- 991012925465802368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article