- Title: Peru declares emergency due to mercury pollution from illegal mines
- Date: 23rd May 2016
- Summary: MADRE DE DIOS, PERU (FILE) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF CAMP FOR ILLEGAL MINE AT TAMBOPATA NATIONAL RESERVE VARIOUS OF PIT AT AREA OF ILLEGAL MINE AND POLLUTION ON SITE
- Embargoed: 7th June 2016 23:17
- Keywords: Peru illegal mines mercury pollution environment emergency
- Location: LIMA, MADRE DE DIOS, PERU
- City: LIMA, MADRE DE DIOS, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Reuters ID: LVA0044J15X6R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Peru's President Ollanta Humala declared a 60-day emergency in an Amazonian region on Monday (May 23) to curb the impacts of mercury pollution from rampant illegal gold mining, the country's environment minister announced.
"The government has issued Supreme Decree 034-2016-PCM which declares a state of emergency in the 11 districts of the provinces of Manu, Tahuamanu and Tambopata for mercury pollution under the law of disaster risk management," said Environment Minister, Manuel Pulgar.
The miners dump about 40 tonnes of mercury into Amazonian rivers every year and have destroyed more than 100,000 hectares of rainforest in Madre de Dios, according to the environment ministry.
Pulgar outlined his priorities for tackling the issue.
"First, to control illegal mining. Secondly, to eliminate it. Thirdly, to rehabilitate and look after people. That is, with the action of the Supreme Decree 034-2016-PCM what we will do is to build a strategy from this government for the people of Madre de Dios," he said.
A growing number of studies have shown that residents of the Madre de Dios region near Peru's border with Brazil have dangerous levels of mercury in their bodies.
"With this mercury pollution we have a fourth reason, people need to be attended too urgently so as to reverse this pollution problem," declared Pulgar.
Tens of thousands of illegal miners who dredge for gold in the rivers and wetlands of Madre de Dios use mercury to separate ore from rock, often handling the neurotoxin with their bare hands and inhaling its fumes when it is burned off.
The miners dump about 40 tonnes (44 tons) of mercury into Amazonian rivers every year and have destroyed more than 100,000 hectares (247,105 acres) of rainforest in Madre de Dios, according to the environment ministry.
Indigenous and rural communities are particularly vulnerable because they rely heavily on river fish for protein.
The government plans to take uncontaminated fish to Madre de Dios and will also set up mobile health clinics, monitoring centres and implement education campaigns, said Pulgar-Vidal.
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, whose five-year term ends July 28, launched a crackdown on wildcat gold mining in Madre de Dios but miners have continued to expand into nature and indigenous reserves. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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