15/03/2013
dWT
photo / Irvin Ngariman - Dennis Wip of the AdeK University during his
presentation on mercury pollution in the atmosphere above Paramaribo.-.
PARAMARIBO - The assumption that only the gold sector is
responsible for mercury pollution in Suriname is wrong, as the entire mining
sector, including oil and bauxite, and natural processes contribute to this as
well.
Yet
the highest danger of mercury fumes is posed by the emissions of the alumina
refinery in Paranam. Dennis Wip made these
statements yesterday during his presentation on mercury fumes in the atmosphere
above Paramaribo.He spoke at the seminar
'Minimizing mercury use in Suriname' organized by the national environmental
institute NIMOS.
Mining processes
Mercury
is found everywhere in the earth's crust, including in Suriname. "Once you start mining, mercury fumes are
released and reach the atmosphere," Wip said. This is thus
the case not only with large-scale mining operations such as those of Rosebel
Goldmines, Suralco and Staatsolie. Processes
should be introduced that minimize emissions or process the mercury that is the
by-product of certain operations in a manner that is safe for people and the
environment.
Pollution alarming
Throughout
Suriname, including Paramaribo and pristine areas in the hinterland, high
levels of mercury have been detected in the atmosphere, people and fish in
recent years. "People blame only the gold sector, but the
problem is that mercury can end up anywhere via the atmosphere," Wip says. He notes that Paramaribo as a small city has six
times the emission of mercury fumes per person than some of the most polluted
cities in China. Long-term exposure to low
concentrations of mercury can cause fatigue, irritability, memory loss,
depression and vivid dreams. Higher concentrations can even cause permanent
damage to the nervous system or acute death, kidney failure, lung problems,
heart palpitations and increased blood pressure. In Paramaribo,
Wip has detected extremely high concentrations of mercury both in the
atmosphere and in gold purchasing companies at different times.
Measures
Agencies
including the Labor Inspectorate, health inspectorate and NIMOS can draft
legislation that prescribe standards so that the employees of the companies
involved are not exposed to mercury fumes. At certain
moments, a concentration of between 7,000 to 8,000 nanograms of mercury was
measured in the atmosphere above Paramaribo, which is seven times higher than
the standard used by the World Health Organization.
