Ajka Alumina Plant Spillage

1
Ajka Alumina Plant Spillage
Emily Jones Kristina Frood
2
Background

• Ajka Alumina Plant in Western Hungary
• Producing Alumina since 1943
• By-products from the Bayer Process Red Mud
• Caustic waste capable of burning, corroding or
  destroying living tissue
• Stored in 10 large concrete storage reservoirs

Reservoir before spillage (http//www.redmud.org)
3
The Incident

• October 4th 2010
• North-western corner of the dam of Reservoir 10
  collapsed
• About 1 million cubic metres of red mud escaped
  as a 2 metre wave
• 40 square kilometres of surrounding area
  initially affected

Dam and reservoir after spillage
(http//www.redmud.org)
4
Affected Rivers
Flow of Red Mud
5
Spill Site and Affected Localities
Flow of Red Mud
6
Chemical Compositionof the Red Mud

• Characteristic red colour due to the presence of
  hydrated Iron (III) Oxide (Fe2O3) 40-45
• Highly alkaline (pH 13) due to Na2O 5-6
• Also contains
• Aluminium Oxide
• Silicon Dioxide
• Calcium Oxide
• Titanium Dioxide
• Arsenic
• Chrome
• Mercury and Caustic mercury soda
• 7 times the level of heavy metals as contained in
  normal soil

7
Damage Caused

• Flooding and structure damage spread up to 50km2
  from the spill site
• 10 fatalities
• c. 150 people suffered chemical burns or other
  injury due to the alkaline component of the mud
• All animal and plant life was extinguished in the
  Marcal River

The devastation in a local town after the spillage
8
Geotechnical and Ecological Implications

• The heavy metals may cause harmful contamination
  in the ground and soil.
• If the groundwater is affected, there may be
  serious health implications to the consumers.
• High levels of salt having a negative impact on
  plant life.
• There may be harmful effects on the surrounding
  wildlife.

A dead fish in the Rába river (http//www.greenpe
ace.org/international)
9
Clean-Up Process

• Many tonnes of plasters poured in to waterways.
• Mixtures of clay and acid added to reduce
  alkalinity.
• Secondary dam built to contain excess sludge.
• Continuous monitoring of water and air pollution

Emergency crews poured hundreds of tonnes of
plaster and acetic acid into the rivers
(http//english.aljazeera.net)
10
Alternative Solutions

• Using the repaired pond for disposal of clean-up
  materials collected from the downstream flooded
  areas.
• Groundwater extraction system to prevent further
  migration of contaminated groundwater.
• Setting up of seepage and groundwater monitoring
  around pond.
• Phytoremediaton cleaning polluted soils using
  plants.

11
Looking to the Future

• On going environmental and disaster management
  inspections of plants in surrounding areas.
• The main risk is likely to be the environmental
  impact due to heavy metals.
• Though long term effects are still unknown.

12
Thank You for Listening