Fluoride levels high near aluminium smelter in West Iceland

Levels of gaseous hydrogen fluoride have never been higher in the vicinity of the Century aluminium smelter, Elkem ferrosilicon smelter and an aluminium recycling company, Alur Aluminium Processing which takes aluminium dross from the Century smelter and recycles it. The latest environmental monitoring report carried out by engineering company EFLA for the three companies shows that levels of both gaseous hydrogen fluoride and particulate fluoride had doubled between 2020 and 2021 at a monitoring station near the plants.

These three companies are located in the same industrial area, Grundartangi in West Iceland.

According to the monitoring report (in Icelandic), levels of trapped fluorides and sulphates in precipitation were also very high in two rivers near the smelter area, compared to previous years, and have never been recorded at higher levels since monitoring began. Along the same lines, acidity (pH) of all the rivers tested had never measured lower.

Levels of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide were also some of the highest recorded, although under environmental limits.

The results for fluoride in grass showed increases in all monitoring stations, with the exception of one which was within the dilution area. In some areas, these were record highs. Fluoride levels in leaves showed a similar trend.

Fluoride in jaw bones of adult sheep also measured record highs. In five cases, fluoride levels exceeded those considered at risk of causing tooth damage in deer according to Norwegian research, and in one case exceeded levels considered to cause tooth damage in deer (2,000 μg F/g).

Fluoride accumulates in animals as they grow older so it is particularly alarming that at one monitoring station, the mean concentration of fluoride in lamb jaw bones was over the level considered to cause damage to teeth in deer.

Why deer, you may ask? Because there are no results for sheep or horses. It’s as simple as that.

I wrote an article for Al Jazeera in 2014 on fluoride pollution from an aluminium smelter in East Iceland and also blogged an update here. The latest monitoring report doesn’t show adverse effects for horses, though, apart from a degree of tooth damage in one horse.