Refinery rules out €26m mud-neutralisation plan

THE largest alumina refinery in Europe, RUSAL Aughinish on the Shannon estuary has ruled out a €26 million plan to neutralise its red mud through the injection of CO2 — because the climate is not warm enough.

Later this month, the $1.2 billion (€840m) refinery is due to commission a 195-acre development that will have the capacity to hold more than 17 million tonnes of bauxite residue, largely made up of “red mud”.

The opening of the Bauxite Residue Disposal Area (BRDA) extension comes as the existing 236-acre BRDA is projected to reach the end of its life by next year where a total of 23.3 million tonnes will have been deposited.

The opening of the BRDA extends the life of the refinery until at least 2026 with the capacity to accept 1.2 million tonnes of the bauxite residue each year.

Pat Geoghehan of the Cappagh Farmers Support Group opposed the extension of the BRDA in the planning process and has stated that he was “disappointed” to learn that the BRDA extension is to commence operations.

“It is a huge price for the local community to pay to have Aughinish Alumina here. No community can sustain the tens of millions of tonnes of waste disposed of here,” he said.