The World’s Most Polluted Places January 21, 2009

U.S.-based Blacksmith Institute, an independent environmental group, in partnership with Green Cross Switzerland, compiled their Top Ten list of the world’s most severely polluted places. Overall, the Top Ten sites lie in seven countries and affect a total of more than 12 million people.

“The fact of the matter is that children are sick and dying in these polluted places, and it’s not rocket science to fix them,” says Richard Fuller, founder and director of Blacksmith Institute.

Is this an example of it’s okay because it’s not in my part of the world?

Site Name and Location	Major Pollutants and Sources	Scope of the Problem and Human Health Impact	Cleanup Status
Sumgayit, Azerbaijan	Organic chemicals and mercury, from petrochemical and industrial complexes	Dated technologies, a lack of pollution controls and improper disposal of industrial waste have left the city contaminated.	Various multilateral development agencies,  international banks and governments have invested moneys to do the clean-up.
Linfen, China	Organic chemicals and mercury, from petrochemical and industrial complexes	Expanding and unregulated industry based on local coal and other resources has resulted in the worst air quality in China. There are high incidences of respiratory and skin diseases and lung cancer.	The local government plans to shut down more than 200 factories by the end of 2007 and replace them with clean and better regulated facilities.
Tianying, China	Heavy metals and particulates; industry	Average lead content in the air and soil are up to10 times higher than national standards. Children suffer from birth defects and developmental challenges.	The State Environmental Protection Administration has ordered all lead processing firms to be shut down until they address environmental impacts.
Sukinda, India	Hexavalent chromium; chromite mines	Waste rock and untreated water from the mines impacts local water supplies. The air and soils are also heavily affected. Residents suffer from gastrointestinal bleeding, tuberculosis, and asthma. Infertility and birth defects are common.	Some piecemeal actions have been taken by mining companies but the scale of the problems is “beyond the means of the State to solve”.
Vapi, India	Wide variety of industry effluents; industrial estates	More than 50 industrial estates discharge heavy metals, pesticides, and chemical waste. Mercury in the groundwater is 96 times higher than WHO standards. Very high incidences of cancer and birth complications have resulted.	A number of waste facilities have been constructed but serious problems persist, despite pressure from environmental agencies and NGOs. No comprehensive plan for the area has been proposed.
La Oroya, Peru	Lead and other heavy metals; mining and metal processing	Metal mining and smelting over 80 years has caused significant lead contamination. Blood lead levels for children average 33.6 µg/dl, triple WHO limits.	The current owner, Doe Run, has made some investments in the operating plant but the legacy issues have not been addressed.
Dzerzhinsk, Russia	Chemicals and toxic byproducts, lead; chemical weapons and industrial manufacturing	A major site for Cold War era manufacturing where industrial chemicals have been discharged into the local water supplies. Life expectancy is short and the death rate is significantly higher than Russia’s average.	A number of isolated efforts have been undertaken in individual villages but no major clean-up activity has been undertaken.
Norilsk, Russia	Heavy metals, particulates; mining and smelting	Mining and smelting operations have devastated the area with particulates and heavy metal pollution. Norilsk Nickel is the biggest air polluting industrial enterprise in Russia.	Norilsk Nickel has begun to implement plans for some emissions controls. There is as yet little visible improvement.
Chernobyl, Ukraine	Radioactive materials; nuclear reactor explosion	The legacy of this most infamous of nuclear disasters lingers and has resulted in thousands of cancer deaths. Respiratory, ear, nose, and throat diseases are common ailments.	Most residents have moved and some remediation projects have been implemented. Future health impacts are possible.
Kabwe, Zambia	Lead; mining and smelting	Unregulated lead mining and smelting operations resulted in lead dust covering large areas. Childrens’ blood lead levels average between 50 and 100 µg/dl – up to ten times the recommended maximum.	The World Bank has begun a $40 million remediation program with the Government of Zambia, initiated with Blacksmith involvement.

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