8 Feb 2021 by david N'DJAMENA, Chad
The UK government accepted in January that issues raised in a complaint filed against UK mining firm Glencore in respect of its handling of two contamination incidents at its Badila oilfield in southern Chad “merit further examination”.
The complaint, filed by three human rights groups, alleges violations of OECD guidelines and details environmental and human rights harms as well as social engagement failures by the company.
The two incidents occurred in 2018: the first when an earth bank supporting a wastewater basin collapsed spilling 85 million litres of contaminated water onto neighbouring fields and into the Nya Pende River, which is the main source of water for the local population. The second occurred a few weeks later, when locals reported oil leaking from a pipe. Glencore disputes the latter incident.
Officials at the Department of International Trade have decided that the complaints “merit further examination”.
Wastewater flooding as a result of the basin collapse. (Credit: RAID 2019)
The decision to investigate further is not a finding against Glencore, it added.
In September 2018, a basin holding run-off water from crude oil production collapsed at the oil field, which is run by Glencore subsidiary PetroChad, in the south of the west African country.
As a result, 85m litres of wastewater was released into nearby fields and flooded the local river, which local people use for drinking and washing.
According to human rights group Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID), 50 local people reported burns, skin lesions, sickness and diarrhoea after bathing in or using the contaminated river water in the weeks following the incident.
Complaint Against Glencore Over Chad Spill Clears UK Hurdle
Wed, 27th Jan 2021 18:22
(Alliance News) - A complaint by rights groups over a toxic spill at an oil site in Chad linked to the British subsidiary of mining giant Glencore PLC has cleared a hurdle in the UK, Britain s trade ministry said.
The case relates to an accident in September 2018 at the Badila oilfield in southern Chad, when an earth bank supporting a wastewater basin collapsed.
The equivalent of 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools of contaminated water spilled into fields and a local river, killing livestock and fish and causing at least 50 local people to fall sick with skin lesions, vomiting and diarrhoea, the groups say.
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