EcoLur
Ardvi Village residents, Lori Region, are concerned with the risks of Shekaghbyur gold-polymetallic mining project. The second public hearings of the EIA of the geological prospecting of Shekaghbyur gold-polymetallic mining project for 2017-2020 has been appointed at 12:00, on 1 December, at the residential seat of Mghart residential area representative in Odzun Community.
As the project mentions the Shekaghbyur mine is a poly-metallic one. Polymetallic ores contain elements, which are considered to be extremely hazardous for the human health such as lead, zinc, bismuth, arsenic, and antimony. Irregardless of the fact what kind of natural resources 'Miram' LLC wants to mine, for example, gold, the main components of the polymetallic mine will affect the human health.
Unfortunately, RA Nature Protection Ministry doesn't deal with the assessment of the impact of negative factors in the environment on human health, while the specialized institute of professional diseases has actually been destroyed. Moreover, the departments of Health Ministry refuse to provide statistical data on the repetitive diseases to determine the geography of the spread of these diseases. In the frames of these opportunities, this function is partially performed by research organizations. Below we bring the data of individual researchers on the assessment of risks for health carried out by the American University of Armenia:
1. “Akhtala Pilot Project on Community Empowerment Final Report”, 2014.
This research particularly says: “Thorough assessment of risk and level of lead in blood is needed... Encourage the residents of Akhtala to use only heavy metal-free areas in the community as crop cultivation and animal grazing land. …Provide healthy nutrition to school and kindergarten children in Akhtala to reduce heavy metal poisoning....'.
2. “Lead exposure and measure of IQ level among children in Alaverdi, Akhtala and Yerevan”, Research project by Siran Grboyan.
This research particularly says: 'The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies lead compounds as probable human carcinogens. Some studies show the relationship between lead exposure and cancers of the lung, stomach, brain, kidney, bladder, colon and rectum. However, these studies did not take into consideration other risk factors. Studies in lab animals show links between lead exposure cancer; in particular, large doses of lead can cause kidney tumors in rats and mice. People, who live near hazardous areas, can be exposed to lead by breathing air, drinking water, eating food, or swallowing dust or dirt contaminated with lead. Drinking lead contaminated water or ingesting lead-containing dust or soil can be the reasons for children’s exposure to lead. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to ingestions of soil/dust because of hand-to-mouth activities and physiological factors (e.g., poorly developed blood-brain barrier). Pregnant women are also considered vulnerable due to exposure of the developing fetus.'
The specialists of the AUA also researched in the frames of in the Armenia Demographic and Health Survey (ADHS) that the percentage of pregnancies having ended up with miscarriages made up 14% in Lori Region in 2010. This is the highest indicator in Armenia, almost twice as high as the average figure in Armenia. The studies show that the women of reproductive age living in Alaverdi have higher risks of reproductive health problems than women living in Artik where there is no mining. The women living in Alaverdi have 2.38% of higher chances to have stillborn children and 2.67% higher chances to have induced abortion according to medical indicators than in Artik.
The research paper authored by Ruzanna Grigoryan, Varduhi Petrosyan and Tsovinar Melkumyan entitled 'Risk Factors for Childen with Lead Level in Blood in Mining and Metallurgical Communities in Armenia' says, 'With average level of 6.0 mkg/dl lead in blood, the level of lead in the blood samples from children in Akhtala made up 6.8, 6.4 in Alaverdi and 5.1 in Yerevan. The research shows that the children from the communities adjacent to the mining industry are exposed to lead impact.'
According to McMichael et al., 1986; Wulff Marianne et al., 1995, the cities with ore smelting factories have higher risks of stillbirth and perinatal mortality, which is related to the emissions of heavy metals and sulfur dioxide into the environment.
Odzun Community together with the villages having joined it is already exposed to the negative impact of Alaverdi copper smelting combine. In case of Shekaghbyur project implementation, Odzun will have a new risk factor having an adversary effect on the health.
November 20, 2017 at 13:52