Urgent measures need to be implemented to fight the pollution of the Mantaro river basin. Results from an independent scientific study show that the Mantaro river basin, one of the main water sources in Peru’s central Andes mountains, is a dump for toxic substances, containing cyanide, lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, used in mining, coliform bacteria from human waste, and nitrates from agrochemicals. An agreement has been signed by the regional government of Junin and the local social organisations that produced the report.

"The novel aspect of this study is that civil society organised itself to publicise scientific data that reflect the gravity of the problem, in an attempt to sensitise the authorities," the Catholic archbishop of Huancayo and coordinator of the Junín environmental negotiation group, Monsignor Pedro Barreto say.
In order to ensure the independence of the scientific report, 10 Peruvian experts and five researchers from the St. Louis University School of Public Health, in the U.S. state of Missouri, took part in monitoring the water and topsoil of the Mantaro basin.

The authors of the study also conclude that Peruvian legislation does not protect human health and environmental quality effectively, in comparison with the laws in other countries.

Source: Milagros Salazar, ISP News, 22 Nov 2007

Tags: water resources management