Rusal owned Windalco officially initiates the construction of second EHP to safeguard environment

On 6^th January 2022, the Jamaican minister of transport and mining, Robert Montague, has officially inaugurated the UC Rusal owned Windalco’s $4-million project to restrain caustic sewage from impacting the environment.

The programme of the bauxite and alumina production complex in Ewarton, St. Catherine is to build a second Effluent Holding Pond (EHP) and augment the capacity of the old pond to avert spillages into a nearby river.

The Minister said, “The project came after discussions with our ministry, the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, and ‘cries and pleas’ from residents of affected communities.”

“No longer, once there is rain, will we have any contamination from the bauxite red mud lake getting into the Rio Cobre. If there is contamination after this, it must be from another source, but certainly not from WINDALCO,” the Minister added while speaking at the launch event.

“In another two years, when the multimillion-dollar facility is completed, overflows from the old pond will enter the new EHP, to ensure the protection of the environment.”

The capacity of the upcoming new EHP will be 660,000 cubic metres and will be added to the existing EHP of 810,000 cubic metres.

“Although it was designed by a Canadian company, the ‘execution and implementation’ will be done by a Jamaican firm”, Montague said.

“We will be protecting the environment because WINDALCO has a commitment to go green with its operations, and this is a strong step going forward, showing that mining can be sustainable, and done without a threat to the environment and water sources of this country.”

Sergey Kostyuk, the Country Manager of the UC Rusal operated company restated, “The facility will prevent overflows into the environment. This is a huge environmental project to prevent any spillage into the gully.”