Jamaica gov’t to impose heavy penalty on Rusal subsidiary for polluting river

(Jamaica Observer) - The Government has moved to impose heavy punishment on UC Rusal Windalco for the release of "thousands of litres of harmful trade effluent" into the Rio Cobre last week that resulted in a fish kill which affected several species, impacted other aquatic organisms, and posed a danger to domestic water supply for tens of thousands of Jamaicans.

On Friday, National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) CEO Peter Knight disclosed that, in addition to prosecuting the alumina refinery, NEPA will relieve the company of US$771,558.69 (more than $117 million), the full amount of its environmental performance bond.

Knight told journalists at a press briefing that the agency has already written to the commercial bank holding the environmental performance bond posted by UC Rusal Windalco, as a condition for the operation

of the refinery and its effluent holding pond, to recover the full amount in favour of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA).

He said the company must also concurrently replenish the environmental performance bond as soon as the drawdown is completed so that it

remains active and in compliance with the conditions laid down in its environment permit/environmental licence. In fact, Knight said NEPA is considering whether there needs to be a re-evaluation of the quantum of the environmental performance bond and the terms associated with its operation.

Dead fish taken from the Rio Cobre are shown to Matthew Samuda (right), minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, during his visit last week to the river polluted by harmful trade effluent from UC Rusal Windalco