OSLO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro joined forces with Brazil's prosecutor's office, asking the country's court to lift the ban on using the waste deposit area close to its Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil, Norwegian media reported Saturday.
"This is an important step forward, arising from our ongoing dialogue with the authorities," said John Thuestad, Executive Vice President at Norsk Hydro in charge of the Bauxite & Alumina business sector.
"The DRS2 and press filters is the most sustainable bauxite deposit technology available in the world, and the only long-term solution for Alunorte operations," he added.
Since May this year, the Alunorte plant, located in Brazilian north-eastern state of Para, has been allowed to keep its production at 50 percent capacity, newspaper Aftenposten reported.
From March 2018 until May 2019, the refinery production was completely shut down due to allegations that the plant discharged untreated water as a result of the February 2018 rainfall, the report said.
In its release Friday, Hydro wrote that internal and external reviews, including inspections from authorities, "confirmed that there was no overflow from Alunorte's bauxite residue deposits or harmful spills from the February 2018 rainfall".
