Rusal Says Ukraine Red Dust Cloud Poses No Environmental Threat

A red dust cloud that covered two villages in southern Ukraine poses “no threat to the environmental situation” in the city of Nikolaev, United Company Rusal said today.

After a sharp drop in temperature in Ukraine’s southern Nikolaev region, the sludge fields of the Nikolaev alumina refinery were frozen, the Moscow-based aluminum producer said in an e-mailed response to questions. “Dust that appeared as a result of freezing was raised by the wind.”

Environmental investigators in Ukraine are checking into the cloud after residents said they were having headaches and difficulty breathing.

Sludge in the facility’s reservoir has “no harmful effects” on the air or soil, Rusal’s press office said by e- mail. The sludge goes through a six-stage filtration process and does not contain caustic soda, it said.