SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police charged 20 people Friday over rock salt mining in the northeastern coastal city of Maceio, which destroyed five city neighborhoods and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes.
The alleged crimes include damage to public property and environmental crimes. A law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Associated Press that the defendants were employees or contractors of Braskem, one of the largest petrochemical companies in America.
Braskem is mainly owned by Brazilian state oil company Petrobras and construction giant Novonor, formerly known as Odebrecht. It has been mining rock salt in the area for 40 years and has been under investigation since neighborhoods began collapsing in 2018.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Braskem said it has not yet reviewed the full police report and therefore would not comment on those charged with ties to the company. The petrochemical company stated that it cooperated with the investigation and “has always acted in accordance with the laws and regulations of the sector, by regularly informing and reporting to the competent authorities.”
Rock salt mining is a process of extracting salt from deep underground deposits. However, brine-filled voids left behind when the salt is extracted can eventually collapse, causing the soil above to settle. Structures built on top of such areas may fall.
According to the Brazilian Senate website, approximately 200,000 people in the capital of Alagoas state, Maceio, were affected by the excessive extraction of rock salt.
In July 2023, Braskem announced a $356 million settlement with the city. The money would be used for structural work in the city and for a residents’ support fund.
In December, a closed rock salt mine partially collapsed. The area had previously been evacuated.
