Front Burner

Is Canadian aluminum being green-washed?

Global aluminum producer Rio Tinto says it’s a green mining giant, but a new Radio-Canada investigation calls that into question.
A field with bauxite.
Radio-Canada's Enquête team travelled to Brazil as part of its investigation into Rio Tinto's production chain. (Radio-Canada)

In the last year alone, the Canadian government has poured billions of dollars into the electric vehicle industry. Wrapped up in that is the production of aluminum, a lightweight and recyclable material that EV car manufacturers want.

In Quebec, aluminum is big business. Rio Tinto, one of the largest manufacturers of aluminum in the world, has several plants there. It often advertises the product as green. 

But a new investigation by Radio-Canada's Enquête calls that into question. Investigative producer Gil Shochat is here to talk about how it's brought to light the environmental cost of this industry in Quebec, and deep into the Amazon.

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