Systemic Failures and Long-Term Health Consequences of the Brumadinho Mining Dam Disaster

Abstract

The 2019 Brumadinho mining dam disaster was a result of the intersections of many systemic failures. Negligence of the dam’s safety alarms failed to alert the employees and surrounding community of the dam’s rupture, inspections validating the dam’s integrity were falsified, and the layout of the mining site positioned employees at a higher risk for injury in the case of a dam failure. Following the dam disaster, the heavy metals from the tailings released into the environment have been found at elevated levels in the bodies of the residents of Brumadinho. The pollution and toxicity have resulted in increased reports of skin and respiratory conditions and neurodevelopmental delays in the community’s children. In addition, the prevalence of mental health disorders in communities affected by the tragedy has also significantly increased. Moreover, the environmental damage caused by the mud tailings has led to an increase in mosquito-borne diseases. The impacted local communities have been recently armed with this knowledge, enabling them to understand and take agency over their own community’s recovery.