Latest Chemical Spill in Jamaica's Rio Cobre River Results in a Fish Kill

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaican government says it is taking a structured, systematic approach to protect the Rio Cobre river from further chemical spills, after the latest spill of caustic effluent from the bauxite and alumina company, Windalco, resulted in a fish kill, affecting several species and also impacting other aquatic organisms.

The Rio Cobre river. (Via Jamaica's Water Resources Authority)“We (will) put in place what is necessary to ensure it doesn’t happen again. There is no overnight fix and there are some steps being taken that we believe will significantly improve the security of the water supply by between September and November,” said the Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation,  Matthew Samuda.

Speaking to reporters following a visit to the affected area in Ewarton, St. Catherine, south of here, Samuda said one of the strategies being put in place to address this issue is the establishment of a second Effluent Holding Pond and increasing the capacity of the old pond to prevent spillages of chemical into the river.

This was the directive of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to Windalco, following another massive effluent leak in 2019, which also caused a fish kill.

“My understanding is that this project should be completed between September and November. This reservoir, we hope and we expect, based on assessments, would be sufficient to stop effluent flow in any large way into the river,” Samuda said.

Samuda, who has responsibility for the environment, said he is angered by this spill and that he understands the frustration of citizens at this recurring issue of contamination of the river, stressing that “significant and strong action will be taken to make sure that the consequences of this are felt.

“We are not going to diminish the impact on the citizens here. This is devastating and I am saddened to see the impact on the farmers, on the fisherfolk and those who need water for household use… . This is a serious issue.”

Samuda said the government, through the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NCRA), holds an environmental performance bond of J$115 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) from Windalco, so that when there are breaches, and when there is environmental impact, the authorities can draw down on this bond to address the damage.

“We will be able to draw down significant sums to ensure that the cost is felt by the company and [ensure] that the money that the professionals need to do the remedial work is put in place. So, there will be consequences outside of the usual low fines,” he said, adding that for Windalco to continue operating, it will need to replenish this environmental performance bond.

Samuda assured citizens that if they fall ill due to the spill, they will be provided with the necessary support by the Ministry of Health and Wellness; and those whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the spill will also receive government support through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry in the case of fisherfolk.

He said that there are also plans to provide trucked water for impacted citizens and advised citizens to seek redress if they feel so inclined, noting that the government, through the judiciary, has civil remedies available.

“If you feel a need to take civil action against those who have caused you loss of livelihood, you should,” he said, adding that following the summer break, the government will be moving apace to table amendments to the NRCA Act and to the Wildlife Protection Act, “both of which we believe the company has run afoul of… to significantly increase the fines”.

Meanwhile, NEPA senior manager, Richard Nelson, said that tests have found that there is excessive alkaline or caustic material in the river, as a result of the spill.

He noted that Windalco, as a part of its spill management plan, “must cauterize this spill, they must do flushing, they must do neutralization to get back the system under control”.