Informal and illegal mining and mercury pollution in Madre de Dios: A public health problema

Alluvial gold mining, which takes place informally or illegally within the mining allowed areas and within the forbidden areas for mining in Madre de Dios, generates a direct and indirect impact upon people's health, not only of miners who work in high risk conditions, exposing themselves to du...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Osores Plenge, Fernando, Rojas Jaimes, Jesús Eduardo, Hermógenes Manrique Lara Estrada, Carlos
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2012
País:Perú
Institución:Colegio Médico del Perú
Repositorio:Acta Médica Peruana
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:amp.cmp.org.pe:article/1155
Acceso en línea:https://amp.cmp.org.pe/index.php/AMP/article/view/1155
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:ocupacional
minería informal
minería ilegal
mercurio
Amazonía Madre de Dios
polución ambiental
salud
Madre de Dios
environmental pollution
occupational health
informal mining
illegal mining
mercury
Amazon
Descripción
Sumario:Alluvial gold mining, which takes place informally or illegally within the mining allowed areas and within the forbidden areas for mining in Madre de Dios, generates a direct and indirect impact upon people's health, not only of miners who work in high risk conditions, exposing themselves to dust, excessive solar radiation, high humidity, noise, vibrating mechanical trauma, mercury which may be inhaled or accidentally ingested, particularly in areas where gold is sold and bought; and also it implies exposure to toxic chemicals and working accidents. On the other hand, the general population is exposed to water pollution because of mercury waste thrown to water sources used by people living in Madre de Dios river basin, and other problems include Amazonian forest and soil destruction, massive migration leading to an increase in transmissible diseases, social violence, person trafficking, prostitution, and unhealthy food.