{"id":614783,"date":"2026-08-01T07:34:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T07:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/614783\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T07:34:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T07:34:16","slug":"arsenic-133-times-above-legal-level-found-in-aughinish-alumina-groundwater-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/614783\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenic 133 times above legal level found in Aughinish Alumina groundwater \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Groundwater beneath the Aughinish Alumina<\/a> refinery in Co Limerick<\/a> contains contaminants that are up to 4,700 times the thresholds permitted under law, an Irish Times investigation has found<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Analysis of regular groundwater testing reports submitted <\/b>by the plant to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA<\/a>) <\/b>shows more than half of wells and streams on the site, which is located on the Shannon estuary, contain contaminated water in excess of thresholds laid out in Irish regulations.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Read the full investigation: \u2018A ticking environmental time bomb\u2019 \u2013 what lies beneath Aughinish AluminaOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

This figure has remained broadly similar going back to at least 2021. There has been a limited improvement in water conditions this year but some water sources on the 530-hectare industrial site have become significantly more contaminated since last year.<\/p>\n

Despite this, the EPA has taken no action against the company for environmental breaches.<\/p>\n

The Irish Times analysed quarterly groundwater reports sent by Aughinish to the EPA since 2021. These reports were compared with groundwater threshold values laid out in legislation adopted earlier this year. Independent experts reviewed the data and shared their findings.<\/p>\n

Much of the contaminated groundwater contains high levels of aluminium, which has, in the past, been blamed by local farmers for unusually high cattle deaths in the area.<\/p>\n

This has been strongly denied by the plant, which was cleared by an EPA investigation in the 1990s.<\/p>\n

At the start of this year one observation well contained aluminium levels that were 4,735 times the threshold for groundwater \u2013 double the figure recorded at the end of 2025.<\/p>\n

The same well contains arsenic levels 133 times the limits permitted under legislation.<\/p>\n

\"'The‘The location of these kinds of industrial sites on karst is really problematic. That is usually something that people try to avoid,’ says geophysicist Steven Emerman. Photograph Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n

Other areas of groundwater contain extremely high levels of chloride, zinc and sulphate.<\/p>\n

Much of the water is also highly caustic, with alkaline levels capable of causing severe burns.<\/p>\n

The data shows that for years a \u201cplume\u201d of contaminated water has been spreading out from the centre of the plant towards the boundaries of the site.<\/p>\n

The groundwater sits in porous limestone rock, known as karst, which runs under most of the plant. The water is able to travel through the plant via fissures in this bedrock.<\/p>\n

Aughinish Alumina said monitoring undertaken \u201cas part of the EPA-approved groundwater programme\u201d shows the contaminated water is not leaving the facility. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe conclusion of the most recent annual groundwater review as submitted to the EPA (for 2025) found that overall groundwater quality across the site continued to improve as a result of the corrective action plan,\u201d the Russian-owned company said in a statement.<\/p>\n

The company said the plan, agreed with the EPA, includes \u201cmonitoring, recovery and preventive engineer measures\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAughinish Alumina is committed to operating to the highest environmental standards while continuously investing in measures to improve environmental performance,\u201d it said. <\/p>\n

Experts and environmental campaigners fear polluted water is escaping undetected through fissures in the bedrock beneath the plant.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a plant that\u2019s built on karst that is leaking contaminants … you could just about guarantee those contaminants are leaving the site,\u201d said Steven Emerman, a geophysicist who specialises in groundwater analysis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe location of these kinds of mines or industrial sites on karst is really problematic. That is usually something that people try to avoid.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the Shannon to Siberia: How alumina from a Limerick refinery enters Russia\u2019s weapons supply chain<\/p>\n

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