Almost 50 million tonnes of sludge and 16 cases of dusting: MGZ's environmental problem has reached the Government

During the Government’s field session in the Mykolaiv region environmental risks related to the tailings ponds of LLC “Mykolaiv Alumina Plant” were discussed separately. This was reported by the State Environmental Inspectorate of the South-Western District.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, during a working visit to the region, held a Government field meeting where one of the important topics was the environmental safety of the MGZ tailings ponds. This concerns facilities that, after production stopped, remain potentially dangerous to the environment, nearby settlements, land and the waters of the Buh Estuary.

According to the inspectorate, after the enterprise ceased production activities in 2022, the production of metallurgical alumina was completely halted. At the same time the normal operation of tailings ponds No.1 and No.2 was disrupted, where about 49.4 million tonnes of red mud have accumulated. These are wastes of hazard class IV.

The situation became particularly alarming in spring 2023. At that time the level of under-tailings water at tailings pond No.1 exceeded permissible limits. This created a threat of effluents entering the waters of the Buh Estuary, which is located approximately 300 meters from the site.

At tailings pond No.2 the accumulation of under-tailings water also reached a critical level. In this case the risks are associated with possible contamination of adjacent agricultural lands. In other words, the problem concerns not only the enterprise itself but also the surrounding territories.

Another distinct danger is the dusting of the red mud. Due to Russian shelling the dust suppression system was damaged, in particular pipelines and power supply. It is this system that should prevent the spread of hazardous dust by wind.

According to the inspectorate, during 2023–2025 there were 16 recorded cases of dusting at tailings pond No.2. And on April 26, 2026, strong winds caused uncontrolled dusting from tailings pond No.1.

One more important point is the status of the plant itself. On July 24, 2025, according to the decision of the High Anti-Corruption Court, 100% of the charter capital of LLC “MGZ” and the enterprise’s property complex were transferred into state ownership represented by the State Property Fund of Ukraine.

The enterprise is now included in the list of critical infrastructure objects. This allows ensuring a stable electricity supply, which is needed, among other things, to maintain safety systems at the tailings ponds.

The dust suppression system has also been partially restored. According to the inspectorate, it is currently operating at about 70%. However, repair work must continue for it to function fully.

In effect the state received not only a strategic industrial asset but also a huge environmental problem that had been accumulating for years near Mykolaiv. And now the question is not only whether MGZ will be restarted, but also whether the tailings ponds will be brought to a safe condition in time before new storms, heatwaves and possible emergencies.