Crystal Harrison, Star Writer

Residents in Hayes, Clarendon are claiming that pollution from the Jamaica Aluminium Company (Jamalco) plant has been affecting their health, properties and water supply.

According to the residents, there has not been any concerted effort to eliminate the hazardous pollution.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the community recently, several residents complained that a number of children and adults have been suffering from either cancer, sinusitis, headaches or asthma.

Mud spillage

Chairman of the Hayes Community Council, Clinton Wilson, said: "the spillage of mud along the roadway is a sign of danger. Black emissions from Jamalco is damaging our houses, clothes, plants, furniture. When we inhale it, it burns our noses and it affects those who have sinus problems. Every 10 years people have remodelled their homes."

He further reasoned that he has counted "about 16 cancer deaths in and around the community between December last year and February". Wilson, however, was not able to provide any corroborating evidence linking the cancer deaths to emissions from the Jamalco plant.

Another resident who identified himself as Franco pointed to the level of dust in the community.

According to Franco: "the alumina dust situation is bad, especially when we wash our clothes and have to hang them on the outside."

"If you catch some of the water in a container and leave it for a couple of days, the water really smells bad, some of us have to source water outside of the community, while some of us do not have a choice," a female resident told us.

When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke with Leo Lambert, manager of corporate services and government affairs at Jamalco, he stated that the company is fully compliant with the applicable regulatory requirements and that they take their environmental responsibility very seriously.

According to Lambert: "I am not aware of any raw chemicals flowing from any of our facilities. I am aware that spillage from a well on our property which runs into a parallel drain along a section of the Hayes main road. It is often the subject of concern. My information is that there is nothing unsafe about this water."

He further reasoned: "the health-related charges are not new. They are levelled at all bauxite or alumina companies. As far as I am aware, there has been no scientific corroboration of these allegations more than 50 years since the advent of the industry in Jamaica. Notwithstanding, we continue to promote industrial practices which seek to promote environmental health and safety."

Several attempts made to speak with a representative from the National Environment and Planning Agency on the matter proved futile.