Civil environmental public interest litigation by the * Environmental Institute of Chaoyang District of Beijing against the Shanxi *Aluminium Industry Co., Ltd. over environmental pollution

The Environmental Institute of Chaoyang District of Beijing filed a civil public-interest lawsuit against Shanxi Aluminium Industry Co., Ltd. for pollution risks caused by its massive red-mud tank storing 16 million m³ of alkaline waste from alumina production. The red-mud tank, covering 1,840 mu (≈ 1.2 km²), posed serious dust and safety hazards to the surrounding ecosystem and nearby cultural heritage sites. The parties first reached a settlement in 2017, but the court refused to confirm it because it lacked specific restoration measures and timeframes. After expert consultation and on-site investigation, a new mediation agreement was reached in 2018 requiring closure of the red-mud tank within five years at an estimated cost of CNY 150 million, with third-party environmental monitoring and annual progress reports to the court. The court approved the agreement after public announcement and confirmed its lawful effect. By December 2023 the closure was completed and accepted, eliminating pollution risks and transforming the site for green development. The case clarified standards for substantive judicial review of mediation agreements in environmental public-interest litigation.