New evidence shows Brazil's Doce River contains high levels of heavy metals and other toxic chemicals following the country's worst-ever environmental disaster, the United Nations human rights agency has confirmed.

Swathes of red sludge were found coating much of the Doce River in the southern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais after the collapse of two dams at a local mine owned by Samarco Mineração SA, a joint venture of multinational mining companies BHP Billiton Ltd. and Vale SA, on Nov 5.

The accident, which has been regarded as Brazil's biggest environmental catastrophe, has caused 13 deaths and serious pollution to the river.

Although Samarco denied the mine tailings contained any dangerous toxics, the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights claimed that new evidence reveals the mud “contained high levels of toxic heavy metals and other toxic chemicals”.

Dead fish were found by the riverside and the sludge is likely to contaminate a wider region as it flows from the river to the nearby ocean, according to Brazilian environmental authorities.
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