• Braskem
    Braskem Maceio

    Brazilian Victims Sue Braskem's Dutch Subsidiaries Over Salt Mine Collapse

    July 2, 2025
    Residents of Maceió are seeking to hold the petrochemical giant's European operations liable for profiting from mining activities that caused neighborhood subsidence.

    Victims of a Braskem salt mine that partially collapsed and forced them to relocate filed a lawsuit June 24 in a Dutch court to hold the petrochemical company’s European subsidiaries liable, according to a news release from Pogust Goodhead, one of the law firms representing the plaintiffs. 

    The appeal comes a year after a Rotterdam, Netherlands, court found Braskem SA guilty of sinking neighborhoods in the coastal town of Maceió. 

    The court ruled in favor of the victims and ordered the company to pay compensation to the victims, Pogust Goodhead stated in a news release. Braskem is appealing the court’s decision, according to the law firm.

    In the most recent filing, the victims are seeking to hold Braskem’s Dutch subsidiaries accountable, which profited from and contributed to the Brazilian company’s operations in Maceió, the law firm said. 

    The parties have until October 2025 to file their counterarguments to their opponents’ appeal. The Dutch court is expected to rule on the appeals as early as 2026.

    Braksem mined salt for its chlor-alkali dichloroethane production units in the area. The mine has been inactive since 2019 after a Geological Survey of Brazil report indicated a potential relationship between an earthquake event and the extraction activities carried out by Braskem.

    About 60,000 residents from the affected regions have relocated due to safety concerns.

    About the Author

    Jonathan Katz | Executive Editor

    Jonathan Katz, executive editor, brings nearly two decades of experience as a B2B journalist to Chemical Processing magazine. He has expertise on a wide range of industrial topics. Jon previously served as the managing editor for IndustryWeek magazine and, most recently, as a freelance writer specializing in content marketing for the manufacturing sector.

    His knowledge areas include industrial safety, environmental compliance/sustainability, lean manufacturing/continuous improvement, Industry 4.0/automation and many other topics of interest to the Chemical Processing audience.

    When he’s not working, Jon enjoys fishing, hiking and music, including a small but growing vinyl collection.

    Jon resides in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.

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