At least 60 people presented symptoms of intoxication in the Gulf this Wednesday Quintero and Puchunkavian industrial center frequently affected by chemical spills, known as the “Chilean Chernobyl” since the 2018 pollution episode affected 1,700 people.
This time we are talking about a dozen students and the same number of teachers from a school in Quinterowhere more than 15 industries are located, including thermoelectric, oil refineries and copper smelters.
Dizziness, vomiting and abdominal pain were among the symptoms reported by those affected in the area, where just a week ago another 60 minors were poisoned by the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the air “in harmful concentrations.”
Increasingly frequent, these episodes prompted the government to issue a “health alert” a few days ago and announce the closure of the Ventanas smelter, owned by state-owned mining company Codelco, due to sulfur dioxide emissions.
The closure of the plant caused great controversy and unleashed a nationwide strike at the company, whose workers point to other 14 factories and industries also located in the bay and owned by private individuals.
Grant of authority
The executive branch has already ordered six companies in the area to reduce their operations with specific restrictions for Ventanas and electric utility AES Gener, and announced a program to restore the health of residents.
Quintero and neighboring town Puchunkavi -150 km west of Santiago – make up one of the five “sacrifice zones” in the country, spaces filled with industrial activities with serious consequences for the health of its inhabitants and the environment.
According to a study by the Catholic University and the Foundation for Sustainable Development of Chile, people in these areas are four times more likely than average to develop respiratory diseases and malignant tumors.
(Information from Efe)
Source: RPP
I’m Liza Grey, an experienced news writer and author at the Buna Times. I specialize in writing about economic issues, with a focus on uncovering stories that have a positive impact on society. With over seven years of experience in the news industry, I am highly knowledgeable about current events and the ways in which they affect our daily lives.