One of the questions I have not seen being asked in the English ganluage source is the issue of why the waste was so alkaline. This is equivalent to storing something like drano (a drain unclogger) in open ponds. Red mud at facilities in the US is reported to have a much lower pH. The caustic component is mostly removed (and re-used) or diluted. This makes me wonder whether the company was cutting corners in waste treatment to save money.