Joe Tobiason, a Young Adult Volunteer with the Joining Hands Network in Peru (or in Spanish Red Uniendo Manos Peru) wrote this post about La Oroya. On our eco-justice trip to Peru earlier this year we visited the town of La Oroya, and I was startled by the barren landscape that surrounded the town due to acid rain from the Doe Run smelter, and inspired by the Filomena workers who are fighting to protect La Oroya's children. Joe gives a good background on La Oroya and updates us on current Joining Hands efforts in La Oroya.
There is some information on La Oroya on the Kuzka podcast, in the Joining Hands news bulletins, and in the La Retama newsletter small bits about La Oroya. But here is my summary of what has led to it being listed as one of the most polluted cities in the world:
The La Oroya smelter was opened in 1922 and subsequently expanded. The smelter can deal with gold, sliver, lead, copper, and lots of other elements and minerals. What makes this smelter unique is the way that it can deal with all of these elements together and at a lower grade than many other plants. La Oroya is one of only such plants in the world and therefore materials from Peru and all over the world are brought there to deal be smelted. This also means that this plant is very difficult to "clean up" because of the complicated, unique nature of what it does.
There are also lots of companies around the world that are pretty keen on keeping it going because it is one of the only ways to get to whatever they need. From 1922 until 1974, the operation was owned by American Cerro de Pasco. Then it was nationalized and owned by the Peruvian state (referred to as Centromin) until it was sold to Doe Run (part of the Renco Group) in 1997. At this point, the output of the smelter went through the roof. Doe Run makes statements that their emissions perton (or whatever measurement they are using) is lower, which is true, but they were also producing at a much higher rate than the factory had ever operated at and therefore even more is added to the pollution. Their charts always start at 1997, when they purchased the company. It does not represent the overall changes in lead and other toxins over time. (wikipedia article on it, Doe Run web site, in spanish)
As part of their agreement to buy the plant, Doe Run agreed to complete the PAMA (Environmental Remediation and Management Program) which called for various ecological improvements to the smelter. This was supposed to be complete by 2004. They were given an extension until October 2009. In September, they were given another 36 months to complete it. Doe Run makes says that they are broke and therefore can't complete the PAMA, but they have also sent almost $100 million to the owner (Ira Rennert) and have experienced an all time high in lead prices. Also, the plant has basically been shut down since June due to these financial issues, and doesn't look to re-open for another couple months.
I am really trying to look at this issue from as many sides of it as I can in order to make my case and be in solidarity with the people in a way that is thought out. We cannot blame Doe Run for everything. They have only owned the plant for the last 13 yrs. There were many years of contamination before them (see for yourself on google maps how the city looks different from everything around). We cannot just blame the government for being spineless and bowing to the multinational corporation. Peru is an "export" country, mining is the largest export and this is a model that is more or less accepted and sought by the international community with regards to countries like Peru. We can't just blame the Peru-US Trade Agreement for continuing this unbalanced, dependent form of commerce. We can't blame people for not caring. We also can't not do anything.
The big effect is on the lives of the people that live in La Oroya. 95% of the kids have elevated levels of lead in their blood. It comes from their mothers, through the placenta, and they are born into it. Also, the company basically owns the union. To work at the smelter is a good job. Those that work there can actually pay for things like food, shelter, beer, and prostitution (La Oroya has a higher number of prostitutes due to this steady income source). Therefore, the workers stand up for the company, but also know that if they speak out at all, they will lose their jobs.
So, what we are doing, as the Red Uniendo Manos, is working with a group, called Filomena, whose kids are organized and against the business that continues to poison their home. They are
all seeking better lives and futures. Right now, we are also connecting them with a group of students in Brooklyn (oddly enough, where Ira Rennert was born). They are having Skype conversations to understand more about what the lives of the other are like, but also to learn how to be present and to really seek better lives for all. I am very proud to be involved in this process and hope you would be too. For more information, please listen to our first podcast that is on La Oroya. Also, in the upcoming edition, there will be an interview with the director of Filomena on why she does what she does. Our podcasts are now hosted on itunes, so just type "kuzka" into the itunes store search bar and we pop up. It couldn't be easier. Become a fan of the Red Uniendo Manos Peru and Bridge of Hope on Facebook.
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