Environmental Monitoring for Public Health and Policy Change in Central Peru: Bringing Life Back to the Mantaro Watershed

How do communities respond to a surrounding environment contaminated by toxic metals from mining and smelting activities? What scientific evidence is needed to develop programs and policies to protect the environment and public health? Mining and smelting activities provide employment and other economic benefits. However, there is growing awareness about the harmful impact of their operations in the public's health and the quality of the environment. Further, when confronted with the consequences of mining and smelting of metals, decision makers and affected communities in developing countries often do not have the evidence needed to make better environmental health decisions. This is the case of La Oroya and the Mantaro watershed in central Peru. The presenter will explain how an environmental assessment provided the evidence needed by community organizations concerned with the effects of environmental contamination. This will include a description of the design, methods, and results of measurements of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and sulfur dioxide in air, water, and soil in the Mantaro watershed, an area with one of the most polluted towns in the world. The presenter will also discuss: (a) the role of “The Mantaro Lives Again” partnership between local community organizations and a U.S.-based university in using the environmental evidence obtained to educate the public and pursue policies to remediate environmental damage and prevent environmental health problems; and (b) the importance of environmental justice for “The Mantaro Lives Again” partnership in providing a moral basis to the promotion of environmental health initiatives in Peru.