Polluted

The World’s Worst Pollution Problems:
Assessing Health Risks at Hazardous Waste Sites

This document was prepared by the staff of Blacksmith Institute in partnership with Green Cross Switzerland with input and review from a number of experts and volunteers, to whom we are most grateful. Contributions: Sara Mills-Knapp, MS Kira Traore Bret Ericson, MSc John Keith, MS David Hanrahan, MSc JackCaravanos, DrPH Special Thanks To: Nathalie Gysi, Stephan Robinson, Andrea Walter, Triple Smart, Blacksmith Institute Technical Advisory Board Members, Blacksmith Institute staff, and Green Cross Switzerland staff. For questions, comments and feedback, please contact: Blacksmith Institute 475 Riverside Drive New York, NY 10115 1 (212) 647-8330 Info@blacksmithinstitute.org Media inquiries shouldbe directed to Bret Ericson, bret@blacksmithinstitute.org Media inquiries in Europe should be directed to Nathalie Gysi: Green Cross Switzerland Fabrikstrasse 17 8005 Zurich, Switzerland +41 (0) 43 499 13 10 nathalie.gysi@greencross.ch This report is available online at www.worstpolluted.org

TaBle of ConTenTS

Executive Summary..............................................................................................4 Introduction About the Report..............................................................................................6 Scope of the Problem .......................................................................................6 Toxic Pollution and Human Health ...................................................................8 What can be done?..........................................................................................9 Global Burden of Disease and DALYs Global Health Burden of Toxic Pollution............................................................9 Calculating DALYs - Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) .............................10 Applying DALYs Globally................................................................................11 Pollutant: Lead ................................................................................................13 Pollutant: Chromium ......................................................................................15 Pollutant: Mercury ..........................................................................................16 Pollutant: Asbestos.........................................................................................17 The Top Ten List Lead-Acid Battery Recycling ............................................................................19 Lead Smelting .................................................................................................21 Mining and Ore Processing.............................................................................24 Tannery Operations ........................................................................................27 Industrial/Municipal Dump Sites ......................................................................29 Industrial Estates .............................................................................................32 Artisanal Gold Mining.....................................................................................34 Product Manufacturing ...................................................................................37 Chemical Manufacturing ................................................................................34 Dye Industry....................................................................................................43 The Remaining FiveSources Petrochemical Industry ....................................................................................45 Electronic Waste Recycling ..............................................................................46 Heavy Industry ................................................................................................47 Pesticide Manufacturing, Storage and Use in Agriculture...