The Top 10 List You Don't Want To Be On

The Blacksmith Institute, an organization dedicated to cleaning up the world's most polluted areas has a top 10 list of most polluted sites around the world. You can still nominate a site for the 2009 list. On the 2007 list is La Oroya, Peru. This is a very interesting site because there are many issues at hand. The owner of the smelters in La Oroya is the Doe Run Corporation owned by Ira Rennert, a major US businessman and philanthropist. La Oroya is often profiled because of the stark juxtaposition between the living conditions of the Peruvian townspeople and Ira Rennert.
Here is what La Oroya looks like:

Here is Ira Rennert's Hamptons home:


Here is a 10 minute video profiling Herculaneum, Missouri, La Oroya and Ira Rennert.



99% of the children in La Oroya have blood lead levels that greatly exceed any acceptable limits. Even newborn babies have extremely high lead levels that were passed from their mothers in the womb. High lead levels can greatly affect mental development. The Doe Run Corporation has promised to clean up the site but in 2004 they asked for an extension to come up with an environmental management plan. There is external pressure to shut down the smelters because of the widespread illnesses. However, even though their families are sick many of the smelter employees are opposed to shutting down the plants. This is their job and their only source of income. They have nowhere else to go and their lives would be completely disrupted and uprooted if they had to move and find new employment.
On a positive note, a team led by the Blacksmith Institute visited La Oroya in May 2008 and found that Doe Run's efforts to curb emissions and improve health have been somewhat effective. However, these are the opinions of the Blacksmith Institute and have been refuted by other organizations. Click here to read a critique of the findings.