Mining Aluminum for the Ford F-150 Lightning Is Allegedly Making Thousands in the Amazon Rainforest
An aluminum refinery in Brazil that supplies U.S. automakers is being sued for lead pollution that's led to birth defects and cancer.
By José Rodríguez Jr.
Published 5 hours ago
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A class-action lawsuit against the owner of a refinery that produces aluminum ore used to make cars and EVs, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, argues that the refinery is polluting nearby rivers and streams, and endangering thousands of Brazilians in the process. The lawsuit represents 11,000 residents who live in communities close to the Hydro Alunorte refinery in Barcarena, Brazil, which is owned by the Norwegian aluminum company, Norsk Hydro ASA.
The suit’s plaintiffs say that Norsk Hydro is responsible for an epidemic of illness that stems from rampant pollution at the refinery; those living in communities nearby allege that toxic waste is seeping into the water supply of Barcarena, according to an investigation by Bloomberg. The lawsuit will try to hold Hydro accountable for 10 incidents that have polluted and endangered the community, and these incidents go back for nearly two decades.
The Hydro refinery is allegedly releasing trace amounts of aluminum and other heavy metals (arsenic, chromium, cadmium, lead and nickel) into the area, which has led to birth defects and cancer, among other horrific illnesses.
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According to the report, ore from Alunorte can be traced to aluminum used to build the Ford F-150 Lightning in the U.S. automaker’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center and Rouge assembly complex, overall, where the best-selling vehicle in America is made. Go read this report, because it’s a thorough look into the allegations of pollution in the Amazon, which could only get worse as the industry ramps up production of fully-electric vehicles.
More:
https://jalopnik.com/mining-aluminum-for-the-ford-f-150-lightning-is-alleged-1850164431
