The conservation organization Oceana launched a new campaign in Chile, through an animated video, for mining companies to be prevented from dumping their waste into the sea.
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq6FM8kDZIs%5D
“Big mining companies are facing the sea as their future dump, which would have a detrimental effect, not only on the environment but on the fishing community and fish consumers’ health as well. We hope that the bill prohibiting this behaviour is adopted as soon as possible,” pointed out Alex Muñoz, Oceana executive director.
The Senate Environment Committee is reviewing a bill to prohibit the disposal of waste in the sea, which is expected to be voted in the coming weeks.
The bill, proposed by Oceana, was supported by five senators from different parties. During the discussions, representatives of the Chilean Navy, the scientific community and fisheries authorities have expressed their rejection to the fact that mining firms may throw this waste into the ocean.
Codelco, Antofagasta Minerals and Anglo American are some of the mining companies that are exploring the feasibility of throwing their waste into the sea. Oceana stresses that this idea comes from the fact that the main Chilean copper reserves are in the central zone, where the population density and competition for space among different users make it impossible ti create new tailings dams on land.
The disposal of mining tailings would be performed through a pipeline that would take tonnes of waste to a submarine canyon, a kind of valley on the ocean floor that is considered by the UN as a vulnerable ecosystem and must be protected.
In this regard, the NGO points out that scientific studies commissioned by the United Nations Program for Environment (UNEP) indicate that the tailings deposited in the sea generate serious impact on the ecosystem, which can even harm human health for those who consume fish that may be contaminated with heavy metals that are typical of mining processes.
The studies also warn about the decrease in the abundance of species and marine biodiversity, which would affect the fishery activity.
Oceana stresses that this could have significant impacts in Chile, especially for the artisanal fisheries sector operating in the first five nautical miles, who catch common hake, anchovy and golden kingklip, among other resources.
Source | http://www.fis.com