The mining and exporting of bauxite has increased rapidly in Malaysia over the past two years. While this has brought a welcome financial boost to the economy, a growing number Malaysian’s and international observers have long begun to question why financial gain is being put before the population’s health and the country’s beautiful and biodiverse environment.
Bauxite is the raw material in aluminium, an increasingly popular and sustainable metal used in a huge number of industrial and manufacturing processes. China, for its part, continues to partake in the oversupply of aluminium, with recent news emerging that China’s State Reserves Bureau (SRB) will be bailing out the industry in the form of a stockpiling programme, a move which is unlikely to address an industry plagued by “supply overcapacity”.
While Malaysia has been mining and exporting bauxite for a number of years, demand for their exports surged in 2014 when the Indonesian government placed a broad-based ban on the export of raw materials, including bauxite. The ban was intended to encourage Indonesian mining companies to invest in localised smelters rather than simply export the raw material to be refined overseas.
As a direct result, Malaysia’s bauxite mining and export activity have increased sharply with a more than four-fold rise in exports in 2014 compared with 2013. The year 2015 is set to see Malaysia export a record 20 million tons of bauxite to China, in a clear indication that Malaysia’s somewhat opportunistic and unsustainable industry continues to grow at a breakneck pace to feed Beijing’s hunger for the raw material.
During the past two-years, the number of bauxite mines and mining companies have also risen, while government regulations have failed to keep up with the surge in demand for Malaysian bauxite, resulting in poorly operated and illegal mining activities. While this hasn’t dented the income stream derived from the exporting process, the lack of regulations on the industry have become detrimental to the populations’ health and have poisoned Malaysia’s waters.
For larger bauxite mining and export firms whose holdings are in excess of 250 acres, there is some regulation in place that is followed and abided by. For smaller firms that have emerged looking for quick financial gains that stem from bauxite mining, there is little control or oversight of their activities.
For starters, smaller bauxite mining and export firms in Malaysia have spawned some lax practices when getting rid of the waste materials from the bauxite mining process. The result has been an increase in incidents of water contamination with radioactive materials such as mercury, leading to dangerous consequences both for marine life and those who rely on the rivers for food and water. Similarly, truck drivers transporting the bauxite from mine to port, have failed to abide by health and safety regulations aimed at reducing the spread of pollution, instead leaving a cloud of red dust from their uncovered bauxite trucks to settle in villages, schools and markets. The number of people with respiratory and skin conditions is rising as is concern over cancer and heart disease, illnesses which typically take longer to be clearly present and diagnosed.
There have already been peaceful protests by some inhabitants of villages and towns that are suffering, but as the money continues to roll in, the Malaysian government has, so far, been slow to respond. Despite the temporary ban on bauxite exports from Pahang, concerns over whether any permanent changes will be undertaken and how significant they might be, remain. More recently, the People’s Movement to Stop Bauxite Pollution (Geram) has demanded that the Ministry of Natural Resources and state governments reveal the findings on the current levels of pollution and contamination caused by bauxite mining. Despite pressure from activists and concerned locals, Malaysia’s government has kept the results of the tests under wraps, instead making empty statements that the situation is “getting better.” Meanwhile, independently conducted tests of Malaysia’s water sources in Pahang province showed that heavy metals levels were present, as was the beginning of radioactive contamination.
Malaysians have become increasingly fearful of enjoying their outside environment and many walk around with heavy-duty face-masks to help protect them from the dust and pollution caused by the increased bauxite export-led traffic. And it’s not just the people of Malaysia that are suffering. The beautiful scenery, which makes Malaysia a popular ecotourism destination, is being ripped apart by aggressive bauxite mining. Deforestation is occurring at break-neck speed with no sign of rehabilitation programmes once bauxite deposits have been depleted.
The desperately sad part of this story is that all these issues only represent the tip of the iceberg with regards to bauxite mining. Without suitable and strong regulation on how miners deposit the waste materials and transport bauxite across the country, much of the wealth derived from bauxite - both locally and by the Government – may soon be spent on medical treatments and environmental rehabilitation, costs that will far exceed the current lucrative benefits of the trade.
The outcome of the recent COP21 is sure to be welcomed by those campaigning and working for tighter bauxite regulations. The hard won agreement means Malaysia’s government is likely to see pressure grow further, both at home and abroad, for the nation to make some serious changes to halt the toxic pollution and environmental degradation stemming from an unregulated bauxite mining industry.