TOXIC BEAUTY - Radioactive waste in estuary of Rio Tinto

Abandoned pond used for the disposal and stacking of phosphogypsum with shallow, but highly toxic radioactive green water in Huelva, Southern Spain. Located in the middle of the salty marshes, this dam, used for storing industrial waste, contains 120 million tonnes of phosphogypsum, a by-product in the manufacture of phosphate-based fertilizers. It is considered the largest landfill of its kind in Europe. Phosphogypsum is a radioactive material due to the presence of naturally occurring uranium and thorium. It also contains rare earth elements, like yttrium and scandium. Locals worried about the stability of the dams, since, in the event of a collapse, the Spanish industrial town and an estuary of Rio Tinto River would be swamped with toxic residue. After years of protests and negotiations, the company left in 2010, after 43 years of phosphogypsum production. Now phosphoric acid is imported from Morocco to avoid creating more radioactive waste, although the half-filled pond still remains. Produced by: Milan Radisics Huelva, Spain, 2019. HD footage is available.