Roads from MGZ sludge: after tests in Korea, Kim wants to move on to repairing Mykolaiv's roads

In Mykolaiv Oblast a pilot project may be launched to use industrial sludge in road construction. This possibility was mentioned by the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim on the broadcast of Media Center Ukraine, commenting on the results of cooperation with Korean companies and his visit to South Korea.

According to Vitalii Kim, a cooperation program with South Korea and large companies from that country has been ongoing since 2023. As part of this work, the Ukrainian side provided Korean partners with samples of the sludge that accumulates on the territory of Ukraine to test the possibility of its use in road technologies.

Vitalii Kim, explaining how the idea of using Ukrainian sludge in road construction arose, noted that part of the cooperation with Korean companies has already produced practical results.

“Since 2023 we have already had a cooperation program with South Korea and with large companies. They provided assistance, and there are already certain results; some projects have been implemented. In particular, we provided samples of the sludge that exists on the territory of Ukraine,” — said Vitalii Kim.

At the same time, the head of the region did not specify which particular sludge samples were sent for research. This is an important detail, because on territory controlled by Ukraine there are several large industrial sludge storage sites. Among them are facilities related to metallurgy, the chemical industry and alumina production.

For Mykolaiv region the most sensitive issue is the sludge fields of the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant. It is there that the so‑called red sludge has been accumulating for years. According to earlier publications by Korabelov.info, the problem of the MAP’s sludge reservoirs remains one of the main environmental threats to adjacent areas: the materials mentioned tens of millions of tons of waste, dusting risks and the proximity to the Buh estuary.

According to Vitalii Kim, in South Korea an experimental section of road has already been made from the material sent. It stood for approximately a year and, as the head of the region said, showed positive results in terms of durability. Vitalii Kim reported that after testing the Korean side must go through a certification stage of the technology, without which it cannot be proposed for practical use in Ukraine.

“In Korea they made an experimental road section from it. It stood for a year and showed good results. Now we are waiting for the certification of this technology so that in the future it can be proposed for use,” — he said.

Separately, Vitalii Kim said that he would like to implement such an experiment specifically in Mykolaiv region. In his view, the project could have a double effect: help with road repairs and at the same time partially address the problem of accumulated industrial sludge.

“I would like to implement this in the Mykolaiv Oblast as an experimental project and an environmental program. This would allow the utilization of the accumulated sludge, and from a financial perspective make it feasible. Now we are waiting for the appropriate documents and consider this direction as one of roughly 10 projects we will work on,” — added Vitalii Kim.

Earlier Vitalii Kim had already mentioned the possibility of using sludge from the MAP in road construction. Back in 2023 he said that one of the Korean technologies envisages processing sludge for road use, and using such materials could save money and improve work quality. At that time he reported that he had sent samples of sludge from the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant to Korean partners.

Recall that the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant itself previously announced the idea of processing red sludge and using it as a raw material for building materials, including cement. The discussions concerned research and experimental design work, as well as the potential disposal of about 180 thousand tons of sludge per year with subsequent use in construction.

However, any similar project for Mykolaiv and neighboring communities must undergo not only technological but also environmental scrutiny. For residents of the Korablev District, Lymany, Halytsynove and other areas near the MAP, the issue of red sludge is not an abstract innovation but a real problem of dust, health risks and the state’s responsibility for accumulated industrial waste.

Therefore, launching a pilot project in Mykolaiv region can be useful only on one condition: if the authorities clearly explain which sludge exactly they plan to use, which studies have confirmed its safety, who will control the technology, and whether the “environmental program” will not turn into another experiment next to people.

Previously we wrote:

• They want to sell the MGZ successfully, but first they must convince the investor not to fear the war
• Almost 50 million tons of sludge and 16 cases of dusting: the environmental problem of MGZ has reached the Government
• Red sludge from MGZ again “attacked” nearby villages from the air
• While MGZ’s sludge fields lack water and funds, Vitalii Kim talks about the plant’s future
• When building roads it is possible to use sludge from MGZ, – Kim on involving South Korean technologies