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The information was published by Peru’s Ministry of health in a report entitled “Analysis of the health situation of the Nahua community of Santa Rosa de Serjali in the territorial reserve of the Kugapakori, Nahua, Nanti, and other groups”, which was leaked to the press and made public by The Guardian.
These high concentrations of mercury in the bloodstream have also been found in the regions of Madre de Dios, Huancavelica, Cusco, and Puno. “The contamination began with the exploitation of mercury mines in past decades, and continues today in the form of illegal and informal mining”, this website explains.
It’s not the first time that the Peruvian population is known to have been exposed to high levels of mercury. In 2017, the Ministry of Environment published in the month of January that in the last 20 years, more than 3,000 tons of mercury have been tossed into Amazonian rivers. This has caused water contamination, as well as an impact on the living aquatic organisms, and human population.
“Despite all the studies and worrisome data that have been presented, the experts consulted by Mongabay Latam agree that very little has been done so far to confront the problem”, they said.
Peru declares state of emergency in Ucayali community due to mercury
US grants US$ 1 million to reduce mercury use in southern Peru