Doe Run Peru Reports Drop in Emissions, Blood Lead Levels
Emissions from Doe Run Peru’s La Oroya facility and blood lead levels among workers and in the community have improved significantly, the company reported Wednesday.
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB via PR Web
Direct) February 10, 2005 -- Emissions from Doe Run Peru’s La Oroya facility
and blood lead levels among workers and in the community have improved
significantly, the company reported Wednesday.
“When we bought the lead
smelter in 1997 we committed to working to address the 75 years of health and
environmental issues left by the previous owners,” said Doe Run Peru President
Bruce Neil. “The work we have been doing over the last seven years in
partnership with the community has resulted in real progress.”
Blood lead
levels among workers are now down 31 percent from where they were when Doe Run
Peru bought its metallurgical complex from the Peruvian government in 1997, Neil
said, adding that reduced lead exposure at the plant translates to reduced lead
exposure for the workers’ children as their parents are no longer bringing home
lead dust on their clothing.
Additional investments in the community and
in support of the medical outreach by the Peruvian Health Ministry have resulted
in a 17 percent reduction in blood lead levels of those high-risk children
identified in a company-sponsored study, Neil noted.
Doe Run Peru
supports state health officials with efforts including funding and helping carry
out health awareness campaigns with community groups and social workers to
educate families on good hygiene and nutrition techniques to combat lead
exposure. In addition, the company supports a local soup kitchen that provides a
daily meal to La Oroya’s neediest children.
“We have spent more than $140
million so far and are going to spend an additional $150 million on health and
environmental improvements that will build on this success over the next six
years,” Neil said. “Our job will be done only when these health concerns are
addressed for all the children in La Oroya and we are working with public health
officials and making improvements every day.”
Doe Run Peru’s investments
in facilities improvements have also resulted in significant progress on
emissions, Neil noted.
“Emissions from our stack are down 30 to 40
percent, and we expect to report further reductions later this year,” he said.
“In addition, we are on schedule on enclosing plant buildings – a significant
source of emissions – and we have begun the initial work on a plant designed to
remove sulfur dioxide from our airborne emissions.”
Discharges into local
rivers have also been reduced by more than half and the company projects that it
will have eliminated all discharges by the end of next year.
“We
understand that our role in the community is about more than just providing
jobs,” he said. “We take our work to improve health and the environment very
seriously and are committed to improving conditions for the people of La
Oroya.”
The Doe Run Company, along with its subsidiaries, is a privately
held natural resource company focused on environmentally sound mineral
production, recycling and metals fabrication. Based in St. Louis, the company
and its subsidiaries serve as North America’s largest integrated lead producer
and third-largest total lead producer worldwide, employing more than 4,000
people. The company and its employees are committed to keeping its operations
and communities clean and safe while producing essential raw materials – lead,
zinc, copper, gold and silver – that are needed for everyday life. Doe Run and
its subsidiaries have U.S. operations in Missouri, Washington and Arizona, and
South American operations in Peru.
For more information visit http://www.doerun.com.
Contact: Christi Dixon (314)
469-3500
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb207802.htm