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Costa Rica: Pre-Bilateral - Case Study
In 2006 the Crucitas project was proposed, the project consisted of letting a foreign industry called Infinite Gold build a mine in San Carlos to extract the gold. The mine would help the citizens living near it by letting them work on it, but it would also affect those who live in the lower cities because they need to use mercury to extract the gold from the mine. The inhalation of mercury vapor can be harmful to the nervous system, digestive system, lungs and kidneys. Building the mine would not only affect the people living near it but will also affect the land and water.
For example: a It could cause an avalanche of water and sediments contaminated with cyanide and metals weighed towards the river San Juan, also it would cause a huge impact in the arboreal species. There will be destroyed 225 hectares, the half of primary forests. With it there would diminish the habitat of species of birds, mammalian and other organisms on the verge of extinction.
In relation with the risks for dangerous substances, the signature is based on Sherman Thomas's studies, excatedrático of the UCR, who assures that the project will have efficient controls that they would avoid that toxic sediments spill. The mine was actually built but the Administrative Court of Goicoechea annulled the concession of the Crucitas project because it would harm the environment. Even though this project was canceled, recently in the news there was a case of 22 persons entering the abandon lot to extract gold. Due to the natural disaster caused by the felling of trees and the pollution of the gullies by the mercury, against these people they will open a criminal case for various crimes such as usurpation of private property, and violations of the Wildlife Law, for water pollution and invasion of protection areas and for violating the Waste Management Act. In the meantime, the Ministry of Environment calls for impact assessments to determine possible land contamination, as well as contamination of such material in water sources and mountainous areas.
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1 Comment(s)
Hey Gloria, thanks for sharing this interesting case.
The great news of the moment is that there is a great awareness of the threat that climate change poses to the stability of our environment, and we are making steady progress towards mitigating and adaptation to climate change.
Lets now begin to put all that we have learnt from this project into practice to better our environment and save our planet. We can do it.
Great participation Gloria!
Sandra Ukaigwe
Oct 8, 2017