RED MUD: ALTEO’S LICENSE TO POLLUTE THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Evidence file for ecocide mock trial on industrial pollution in the Mediterranean Sea

From 1967 to 2015, ALTEO-Rio Tinto dumped more than 30 million tons of toxic red mud into the Mediterranean Sea. In 2016 ALTEO stopped discharging solid waste into the Mediterranean. However, liquid effluent containing toxic metals continues to be released into the sea until today. The long-term smothering of the seafloor by the release of the red mud has had severe impacts on the local ecosystems. Loss of cold-water coral reefs and contamination of fish habitats at multiple depths of seabed led to depletion and contamination of fish stock, resulting in a loss of livelihood for local fishermen.

INTERPRT produced an evidence file for an ecocide moot court and mock trial organized by Wild Legal that took place on 26 June, 2021. It was set to challenge existing environment protection laws and whether these actions could constitute a major case of ecocide in French law. Our visual investigation focused on the Cassidaigne canyon in the Calanques National Park, where the red mud is discharged at a depth of 324 meters, covering a 900 square km wide area on the seabed. We synthesized publicly available environmental data into a seamless 3D model of the canyon and a multimedia presentation.