JBI head denies bauxite roof corrosion accusations THE CORROSION of zinc roofs in communities close to bauxite/alumina plants is often the result of bad storage and other practices and not necessarily factors from the plants, says Parris Lyew-Ayee, General Manager of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI). In 1996/97, he said, the JBI hired a consultant to undertake a study to examine the roofing material that was used in the construction of houses. Two major problems were discovered. One was the fact that the quality of the galvanised sheets used did not meet the minimum standard required for building material in the United States or any country that used galvanised sheets for roofing. The second problem identified by the study was the improper storage of sheets. Mr. Lyew-Ayee said on many occasions the sheets in storage developed "white rust", the start of the corrosion process, before being installed. "These two factors would make it appear that you have accelerated corrosion of the roofing and therefore a shortened life when in fact there are problems which are associated with the sheets even before they are installed," he said in a recent meeting with reporters at the Jamaica Information Service. Mr. Lyew-Ayee reported that other factors relating to roof corrosion were discovered in the study, including the fact that Jamaica has imported zinc indiscriminately from many places, especially after Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. "The standard of this zinc was not always the best," he noted. Construction methods also play a part in zinc corrosion. Many persons use flat roofs, which are not the best for zinc sheets. People also place blocks on top of the zinc sheets, which causes moisture to collect on the roof. All of these factors added to the corrosion process, he observed. The JBI study was not only done in areas surrounding bauxite plants but also in areas far from bauxite plants, such as Albert Town in Trelawny, and similar problems of corrosion were identified in the communities far from bauxite/alumina plants and those areas close to the plants. "We concluded from the study that corrosion took place in and out of our zones and in many cases it was not due to the plants but due to other factors," said Mr. Lyew-Ayee. Last year the Trade Act was adjusted to include a standard for roofing material. It will now require that zinc sheets must be stamped with the manufacturer's logo, the thickness of the zinc coating and the thickness of the steel base. The JBI plans to have an education programme on the impact of the environment, storage and construction methods on zinc roofing material, he said.
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