Reacting to the beginning of a technical investigation mission ordered by the Ministry of the Surroundings of Congo into the Metssa Congo recycling plant situated in Vindoulou, Pointe-Noire area, Samira Daoud, Amnesty Worldwide’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, stated:
“We welcome the Ministry of the Surroundings’s resolution to hold out this investigation, which follows the entire suspension of the plant’s actions because of severe well being dangers documented by Amnesty Worldwide in June 2024.
Amnesty Worldwide is looking on the Congolese authorities to make sure that firms act responsibly.
Samira Daoud, Amnesty Worldwide’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa
“The authorities should make the investigation report public and, relying on its findings, be certain that efficient cures are supplied to these harmed by Metssa Congo’s operations in Vindoulou. This may embody financial compensation, entry to medical therapy, or different acceptable initiatives. Within the occasion that the corporate is required to relocate to stop additional well being dangers, it should be ensured that the plant, which is situated 50 metres from a faculty, is moved to an industrial zone that meets regulatory requirements and adheres to the corporate’ human rights obligations to make sure these harms will not be repeated.
“Because the Republic of Congo plans to diversify its industrial actions, Amnesty Worldwide is looking on the authorities to make sure that firms act responsibly and respect their environmental and human rights obligations and obligations in response to worldwide and Congolese regulation.”
Background
A bunch of residents of Vindoulou, within the Pointe-Noire area, had been denouncing for years the fumes emanating from the Metssa Congo recycling plant, a subsidiary of the Indian firm Metssa, which produces lead bars for export to a number of international locations, together with the US.
Amnesty Worldwide’s report on the state of affairs of environmental, financial and social rights of populations residing close to industrial firms within the Pointe-Noire area, confirmed that Metssa Congo had not carried out any environmental affect evaluation earlier than establishing in 2013, in violation of Congolese regulation. The corporate claimed to have obtained a licence in 2018 and an environmental compliance certificates in 2023, 10 years after it started operations.
In 2023, blood samples taken from 18 folks residing close to the plant, together with youngsters, have been analysed by an unbiased laboratory with the assist of Amnesty Worldwide. All revealed lead concentrations effectively above the edge set by the World Well being Group. The corporate had claimed that the fumes emanating from its plant weren’t poisonous.
