Toxic Spill Plagues River Parishes Refinery for Months

In October 2025, the Atalco alumina refinery in Gramercy, Louisiana has come under intense scrutiny from state environmental regulators after the facility unlawfully discharged industrial waste containing arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and other toxic heavy metals into public areas and waterways over the past year.

The refinery, which is the only one remaining in the United States that refines alumina, has been cited for dozens of environmental violations stemming from breaches that occurred in the giant levees surrounding its waste containment lakes. According to a detailed inspection report, a slurry of corrosive waste cut erosion channels through the levees, allowing the toxic material to escape into the public drainage system and flow into the nearby Blind River Swamp and Lake Maurepas.

In an effort to prevent future incidents, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is now requiring Atalco to provide more detailed maps and engineering drawings of its drainage systems, as well as an updated plan to address the levee erosion and leaks from the waste lakes. The company has 60 days to respond to the agency's latest requests.

Meanwhile, Atalco is also grappling with a notice of potential penalties from LDEQ for the violations documented over the past year, which could result in fines of up to $32,500 per day per violation if left unaddressed. The company has indicated it will comply with the agency's orders and take corrective actions, but the full extent of the environmental damage and the company's liability remains to be seen.