Effluent from bauxite company Windalco polluted the Rio Cobre and caused a major fish kill on the weekend.
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Richard Nelson, Senior Manager for NEPA's Environmental Management Sub-division
The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has served an enforcement notice on Windalco's Ewarton operations to immediately remedy the situation at the Rio Cobre in St. Catherine, which has been polluted.
NEPA's Senior Manager of the Environmental Management Sub-division, Richard Nelson, says the notice was served on Wednesday afternoon.
The notice is the latest development since effluent from the bauxite company polluted the river and caused a major fish kill on the weekend.
This has angered residents and fisherfolk in the area and prompted them to seek redress from Windalco and initiate court action seeking to get NEPA to enforce existing regulations.
Mr. Nelson explained that NEPA's enforcement notice outlines specific things for Windalco to address and implement immediately.
These include an order for them to "remediate the area...and start the process to rehabilitate the river as quickly as possible".
Mr. Nelson said NEPA has made progress with the probe into the latest pollution of the Rio Cobre, and has collected samples for analysis of the water's pH levels, which confirm that contamination has taken place.
He added that the entity is working with the National Irrigation Commission and the National Water Commission to help address "any potential impact that they may have".
Amid complaints from affected residents, NEPA has rejected the claim that it has not done enough to protect or enforce the rights of residents who live near the Rio Cobre.
Mr. Nelson asserted that there has been significant effort made by NEPA to get Windalco to do several acts of mitigation over the years.
He pointed to a previous chemical spill in 2019, recalling that NEPA "took some action including taking Windalco to court based on investigations".
Following another spill in 2021 - which is currently before the court - he said the environmental agency served an enforcement notice on Windalco, outlining instructions that the mining company increase its capacity to hold more water.
The company "has been doing what is required" and is at "35 per cent completion", said Mr. Nelson.
He added that Windalco's environmental permit was amended to increase an environmental performance bond which is essentially an increased financial penalty for future breaches.
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