The National Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA), a Jamaican governmental body, stated that there was negligible damage to the environment following UC Rusal's bauxite train derailment in the Bog Walk Gorge on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Reports indicate that the risk to the river is low, too.
Bauxite train derailment in Bog Walk Gorge – key details and early findings
The accident involved seven rail carts transporting alumina to the port from UC Rusal's Windalco plant in Ewarton. Three carts toppled off the retaining embankment, while one partially fell into the river, prompting NEPA to conduct inspections immediately upon arrival at the site. The Bog Walk Gorge is a critical roadway and railway corridor in St Catherine, beside the Rio Cobre, which is an important water supply for the local community and agriculture.
NEPA’s assessment
NEPA stated that following inspections on the ground and drone images, they found that there was no significant environmental risk as there was a very minimal amount of spilt alumina and it was contained at the base of the embankment. NEPA also stated that at no time did the derailed carts had anything hazardous in them.
Significantly, NEPA confirmed there was no evidence of an oil spill or fish kills and that the river had not changed since Saturday afternoon. This is significant due to the historic environmental issues in Jamaica's bauxite industry, where reports of accidental discharges have impacted the ecosystem.
Also read: Alumina-filled train derailment at Windalco prompts track repair work
Oversight and clean-up efforts
NEPA is supervising the clean-up, executed by UC Rusal, in order to keep adjacent habitats safe. NEPA has guaranteed the public that it will continue to monitor the area closely and will continue to work with UC Rusal to reduce any environmental impacts during the recovery of the site.
UC Rusal stated that its investigative group is evaluating the cause of the derailment with no completion date of a report set.
Government and community response
The Minister of Mining Floyd Green has ordered the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and the Mining Division to conduct a joint investigation into the derailment, focusing on cause and safety recommendations.
Residents living near the gorge have expressed concerns about track maintenance, emphasising the need for routine runs of all infrastructure in situations where heavy industrial transportation shares routes with fragile ecological waterways.
Jamaica is one of the leading bauxite exporters in the world, and alumina transport is a vital component of the country’s mining logistics. Its aluminium production rose by 4 per cent, reaching 1.337 million tonnes, up from 1.286 million tonnes in 2023. Although derailments occur infrequently, they can cause downstream interruptions to supply and necessitate the assessment of environmental risks. Thankfully, the recent derailment doesn’t appear to have had any significant effect on the industry or the environment.
Also read: World alumina production dips in June; H1 trend raises doubts over 2025 target
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