86 civil society organizations submitted a petition to call on Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltg. (SMM) to immediately suspend the Coral Bay Nickel Processing Project and the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Project in Palawan until effective and publicly verifiable countermeasures are developed and implemented to avoid destructive impacts on local communities.

A recent report revealed that hexavalent chromium exceeding domestic and international environmental standards has been detected at a fixed point in the Togpon River flowing from the existing mining concession of the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining. In September 2024, the highest concentrations of hexavalent chromium was observed in 15 years of water quality studies, highlighting a clear failure to effectively address water pollution, despite the repeated calls of civil society groups for action.

With the expansion of mining operations in the region, similar water pollution is highly likely to spread to other rivers if effective mitigation measures are not implemented, threatening the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples and farmers who rely on these rivers for daily life and agriculture near the project sites.

SMM's battery materials have been officially adopted by Tesla as well as by Toyota Motor Corporation for their in-car batteries.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Sumitomo Metal Mining, Tesla, and Toyota Motor Corporation to respond to the allegations.