29 Most Toxic Places On Earth

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La Oroya, Peru

Source: https://www.business-humanrights.org/

La Oroya sits on a plateau in the Andes Mountains at the junction of the Mantaro and Yauli rivers. The mining town is a smelting and refining center for copper, lead, silver, and zinc ores. An American-owned smelter that did not enforce environmental measures has been polluting La Oroya since 1922. The mining and processing of heavy metals and minerals caused pollution, contaminating the soil with arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, sulfur dioxide, and zinc. Resulting from years of pollution, the local river became toxic, surrounding hills became completely denuded of grass, and residents had health complications, with 99% of children having blood lead levels exceeding acceptable limits. Lead is extremely hazardous to children, and even though steps have been taken to reduce active emissions from smelters, the soil will remain contaminated with lead for centuries.