Electric vehicle boom increasing risk of cobalt mined by...

Electric vehicle boom increasing risk of cobalt mined by children ending up in batteries

Amnesty says the trend increases the risk of cobalt mined by children in the Democratic Republic of Congo ending up in batteries.
20:50, UK,Thursday 16 November 2017

Image:Cobalt is often mined by children and adults working in dangerous conditions in the DRC

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent
The boom in electric vehicles is increasing the risk of cobalt mined by children in the Democratic Republic of Congo ending up in batteries, a report from Amnesty International has found.
Cobalt is a crucial component in lithium-ion batteries, used in devices from smartphones to laptops to electric cars.
However, it is often mined by children and adults working in dangerous conditions in the DRC, before making its way into global supply chains and, ultimately, consumer products.
:: Firm refuses to apologise over cobalt sourcing


Video:February: Inside the Congo mines that exploit children
In February, a Sky News investigation found children as young as four working in mines in the DRC.
But although big technology companies like Apple and Samsung have taken steps to make their supply chains more transparent, automakers have been slower.
The report, Time to Recharge, said: "Electric vehicle companies are lagging behind other sectors when it comes to cleaning up their batteries."
It said that Renault and Daimler performed "particularly badly, failing to meet even minimal international standards for disclosure and due diligence, leaving major blind spots in their supply chains".


Video:May: A bed and three meals a day for child cobalt miners
It ranked BMW the best among car makers, followed by Tesla.
Many carmakers have committed to hybrid and electric-only vehicles, including Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo.
Consumer technology firms fared better in the report.
Apple was ranked the best company overall, followed by Samsung SDI, for taking adequate action to investigate their supply chains for human rights abuses.


Video:Feb: Alex Crawford's first meeting with child miners
Microsoft was among 26 companies that failed to disclose the detail of their suppliers.
Seema Joshi, head of business and human rights at Amnesty, said: "As demand for rechargeable batteries grows, companies have a responsibility to prove that they are not profiting from the misery of miners working in terrible conditions in the DRC.
"The energy solutions of the future must not be built on human rights abuses."
The report also said: "None of the companies named in the report is taking adequate action to comply with international standards."


https://news.sky.com/story/electric...d-by-children-ending-up-in-batteries-11129187