Human Rights Watch said on Monday pollution linked to the operations of French-British oil firm Perenco in the Democratic Republic of Congo was exposing nearby communities to health risks, including respiratory illnesses and symptoms such as chest pain.
Perenco is the country’s sole oil producer, operating both onshore and offshore facilities around the town of Muanda along Congo’s 37-km (23-mile) Atlantic coastline, pumping around 19,500 barrels of oil per day.
Human Rights Watch said its findings were based on interviews with 45 residents, oil workers, health professionals, officials and experts, as well as analysis of satellite imagery, videos and photographs from the area.
The group said remote-sensing data and witness accounts indicated flaring, which is largely prohibited under Congolese law, at five sites between January 2025 and March 2026, including one less than 80 metres (262 feet) from homes. It cited residents reporting respiratory illnesses and other symptoms such as chest pain, headaches and nausea.
The group also said Perenco had not prevented oil spills from wells and pipelines from leaking into the soil and riverbeds, citing two previous studies as additional evidence.
An investigation by Congo’s Senate in 2013 found lead and mercury levels above WHO drinking-water guidelines. A 2025 study by researchers from universities in Congo and Cameroon found hydrocarbons and other pollutants in contaminated soil near Muanda posed potential risks to human health.
Human Rights Watch urged Kinshasa to publish findings from an environmental audit of Perenco commissioned in 2024, saying authorities had yet to release interim findings or provide a timeline for publication of the final report.
Perenco denied its operations caused air, soil or water pollution or acute health impacts, according to the report, and said it invested in pollution prevention and infrastructure maintenance.
Perenco and Congo’s hydrocarbons ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment
