A (toxic) river runs through it
The Mantaro river basin, one of the main water sources in Peru’s central Andes mountains, is a dump for toxic substances, according to an independent scientific study. Lead levels, for instance, are 180 times higher than those accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The study shows that the river basin is a veritable sewer, containing cyanide, lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, used in mining, coliform bacteria from human waste, and nitrates from agrochemicals.
“The pollution has multiple causes,” Iván Lanegra, natural resources and environment manager for the regional government of Junín, told IPS. He has signed an agreement to implement urgent measures with the local social organisations that produced the report.
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