Peru ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Friday to compensate the people of an Andean village (Peru mining town) for years of air, water, and soil pollution caused by a nearby mine, which had violated their right to a healthy environment.
The La Oroya Metallurgical Complex was in operation for almost a century until its forced to close in 2009 due to indebtedness and environmental rules. The court found that the state had neglected its duty to control and oversee the complex.
The court stated that the evidence verified the substantial risk that at least eighty local citizens posed from exposure to lead, cadmium, arsenic, and sulfur dioxide. These residents did not obtain proper medical care from the government when they fell ill.
Extinction Rebellion will demonstrate at Eindhoven Airport, to reduce flights
The court determined that each of them should get damages of at least $30,000, with the most vulnerable getting $50,000.
It is necessary to provide an additional $65,000 to the rightful beneficiaries of two victims who passed away due to illnesses brought on by the pollution.
In 2023, La Oroya reopened in part under the management of Metalurgica Business Peru SAC, a company that pledged to follow environmental regulations and included former employees as stockholders.
60% of Peru’s entire export revenue comes from Peru mining, making it the second-largest producer of copper in the world.
HSBC and NatWest, UK banks, facing criticism for funding fossil fuel expansion in the North Sea, despite their commitment to net zero climate targets
The government mandated by the court to evaluate the level of pollution in La Oroya at the moment and to give the victims cash and free medical attention.
