Understanding the Science Surrounding Environmental Consequences and Rehabilitation Actions Stemming from Brazil's Fundão Tailing Dam Rupture

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.