E-cars: BMW admits to environmental problems at Moroccan cobalt mine

BMW has given new impetus to allegations that the cobalt supplier Managem in Morocco violated environmental standards in the vicinity of the Bou Azzer mine. According to relevant reports by NDR, WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Munich-based car manufacturer commissioned an environmental audit in late fall, the results of which are now available to the research partners. According to the findings, the auditors also discovered "high concentrations of arsenic in waste and water collection systems on the mine site itself and in the immediate vicinity". They were neither able to establish nor rule out a link to mine operations.

The original research indicated that large quantities of arsenic were being released into the environment from the mine. The concentration in a nearby river had far exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) limit for drinking water. Scientists called for "immediate action". BMW concluded a contract worth 100 million euros with Managem in 2020. This provides for the supply of cobalt, which the Munich-based company uses to build batteries for electric cars. BMW sources the majority of the raw material required for this from Australia and around a fifth from Morocco. Following repeated problems with suppliers, the manufacturers are working on reducing the proportion of cobalt used in battery production.

Construction measures are not enough according to experts

BMW has now told the reporting team that Managem has implemented construction measures. The aim is to prevent water and dust from the mine from entering the environment. Among other things, new water basins have been built and drainage ditches dug. The riverbed has also been cleaned of sediment. Experts such as Miriam Saage-Maaß from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) believe that this does not go far enough. The high arsenic content measured in the river water points to "long-standing and structural deficiencies in the environmental and health protection requirements of the mine operators". The fact that BMW does not want to publish the test report, citing business secrets, does not promote trust.

BMW refused to withdraw from the supply contract with Managem. However, a package of measures for permanent improvement in the area of water management is in the works. Initially, there were also reports of serious violations of labor and social standards at the Bou-Azzer plant. However, a separate audit is said to only refer to minor violations of social standards. BMW considers these allegations to be invalidated, but also does not want to present the relevant audit report.

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