Problems with dumping of red mud in shallow waters. A critical review of selected literature

Red mud is an industrial waste originating from the production of aluminium from bauxite. Since the difficulties connected with the removal of red mud are increasing and the possibilities for land deposition are restricted, German aluminium-producers wanted to dump their wastes in the southern North Sea. Several experiments were carried out to assess the effects on marine organisms. Red mud proved to be harmful to a variety of organisms; the most predominant effect was agglutination of gill tissues. Regarding the very severe effects of suspended red mud on different marine organisms the authors refuse the proposed dumping project. Taking into account the special hydrographic situation of the German Bight, which cnanot be compared with that of other dumping areas and further knowing that the North Sea is one of the most important fishery areas of the world, it is concluded that dumping of red mud would endanger the stocks of bottom fish and fauna and should therefore take place in regions without any fishing activities with depth greater than 3000 m.