Hydro denies the allegations brought forward by the claimants. The claims brought before the Dutch court overlap with claims already brought before the Brazilian courts, where some of them have already been dismissed.

The Dutch case cites nine alleged events over the last two decades, some which occurred and some which did not, and none of which could have caused the damages alleged by the plaintiffs. The key event is the alleged spill from Alunorte’s bauxite residue storage areas following heavy rainfall in 2018. Hydro reiterates that no such spill took place as confirmed by over 90 site inspections, including by the relevant authorities.

Besides the factual basis, there are also multiple legal aspects the court will consider before deciding how to proceed. These legal topics included statute of limitations, applicable law and Cainquiama admissibility, and were discussed in the Rotterdam court. It is expected that the court will issue its decision regarding these legal aspects and next steps during Q1 2024.