Windalco Constructing Second EHP To Prevent Spillages

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, has officially launched the bauxite and alumina company, WINDALCO’s US$4-million project to control caustic effluent from impacting the environment.

Under the programme, the Ewarton, St. Catherine-based company is constructing a second Effluent Holding Pond (EHP), and increasing the capacity of the old pond to prevent spillages into a nearby river.

Minister Montague said the project came after discussions with his 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 said, while speaking at the launch on January 6, in St. Catherine.

Mr. Montague added that in another two years, when the multimillion-dollar facility is completed, overflows from the old pond will enter the new EHP, to ensure protection of the environment.

The new EHP’s capacity will be 660,000 cubic metres and will add to the existing EHP of 810,000 cubic metres.

The Minister said although it was designed by a Canadian company, the “execution and implementation” will be done by a Jamaican firm.

“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,” he said.

The company is operated by UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Limited, and its Country Manager, Sergey Kostyuk, reiterated that the facility will prevent overflows into the environment.

“This is a huge environmental project to prevent any spillage into the gully,” he said.