The beauty of their country’s unspoilt natural landscape is something of which Norwegians are rightly proud. But now their government is about to sacrifice the wonder of the fjords – by turning them into dumping grounds for mining waste.
The mineral extraction industry is growing across northern Europe, with Sweden, Finland and Norway all looking to cash in. The Norwegian government is currently assessing two mining projects, both involving the waste management practice of submarine tailings disposal. Norway is one of only five countries worldwide to use this controversial method for disposing of mining waste; there is a growing consensus that it is environmentally unsound, and several countries are considering banning it.
