The Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Brazil (MPF) filed a lawsuit against Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) and Harsco Metals Ltda. for allegedly polluting the environment in Volta Redonda. The companies are accused of preventing vegetation recovery within municipal areas and illegally dumping steel slag near the Paraíba do Sul River since the 1970s. The MPF is seeking a total compensation of BRL 430 million for material, ecological, criminal, and social damages — an amount estimated at around 77.5 million USD (based on the exchange rate as of October 10, 2025).
The complaint emphasized that the companies illegally dumped more than 5 million tons of steel slag (solid waste) on a site without environmental authorization. The material reportedly contaminated soil and groundwater with heavy metals and phenols, directly affecting more than 40,000 residents. In some areas, the waste piles reached up to 30 meters in height, posing serious risks to public health and the environment.
The MPF stated that the companies “followed a deliberate policy of systematically disregarding environmental standards” and ruled out the possibility of a settlement, citing the seriousness of the violations. CSN has been operating in Volta Redonda since the 1940s, covering all stages of the steel production chain — from iron ore extraction to the manufacturing and sale of steel products. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the lawsuit aims to ensure compensation for environmental damage and the enforcement of the law.
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