Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator - Radio
THE JAMAICA Bauxite Institute (JBI) has declared that West Indies Alumina Company (Windalco) breached industry guidelines as the caustic soda content in its red mud effluent on Wednesday night was more than the acceptable standard.
According to JBI director, Worell Lyew-You, Windalco has already been informed of the breach.
"The necessary investigations and reporting are being conducted and the necessary steps to prevent it happening (again) will have to be taken," he told The Gleaner/ Power 106 News Friday.
However, Mr. Lyew-You said penalties could not be imposed at this time, as the regulations for such violations are not yet enacted. According to him, the regulations are still being drafted.
REPORTS DISMISSED
On Wednesday night, red mud effluent containing caustic soda flowed from the Windalco mud lake in Battersea, Manchester, into a dyke adjacent to the Kendal main road on the company's property.
The JBI director also dismissed reports that there was an overflow of the mud lake, adding that there was the possibility of errors in operation. "Mud is fed to the lake from different points and if you open a line which should not operate then you could create a problem like this," he said.
Following the incident, concerns were expressed about the possibility that the effluent could have contaminated the underground water system, but according to Mr. Lyew-You, this is unlikely given the volume of the red mud that flowed onto the land and the depth of the underground water table where it occurred.
STRINGENT GUIDELINES NECESSARY
Speaking on Good Evening Jamaica on Power 106, environmentalist David Smith said this latest case highlights the need for stringent guidelines to govern bauxite operations.
"In making the money that we need, we should not kill the goose that lays the golden egg," said Mr. Smith.
