Warning of mercury contamination in the air

Environmentalists are up in arms against the chlorine industry, which they accuse of generating higher mercury emissions than those permitted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Ecologists in Action organization has submitted a report on measurements of mercury in Spain. According to this work made by environmentalists, there is a high degree of contamination in areas such as Pontevedra or Tarragona and the mercury contamination.. .
According to the organization declares Ecologists in Action in both Lourizán (Pontevedra) and Flix (Tarragona) have detected very high levels of mercury in air that exceed the limit set by WHO. Mercury has also been found in the soils of the orchards.
According to the organization, these results indicate that the chlorine industry emit much more mercury than officially declared, putting at risk the health of residents and the quality of the fish we eat and the mercury contamination.. .

Mercury contamination

The report "Mercury Immission clorocáustica industry 2006-2010 'presents measurements of mercury held this summer near chlorine factories that use mercury, compared with those made in 2006 and 2007. Analyses have been performed by the laboratory Biogeochemistry of heavy metals Polytechnic University School of Almaden (Ciudad Real), University of Castilla-La Mancha and the mercury contamination.. .

Today, all the fish we eat is contaminated with mercury and the amount of mercury in the environment and our bodies continue to rise. For years the UN and the EU warn of the urgency to control this public health problem. According to Greenpeace, the situation is on high alert around the world, however, in our country, the authorities are reluctant to take action.

Mercury can form methylmercury, which collects and concentrates in aquatic ecosystems and large fish (tuna, shark, swordfish). Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that can affect the formation of the brain, which is very troubling exposure during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It can also cause damage to the cardiovascular system and increased mortality. Mercury also causes neurological and behavioral disorders and the mercury contamination..

Warning of mercury contamination

The main consumers of mercury in Spain are the chlor-alkali mercury cell, outdated technology, invented in the nineteenth century and has long been surpassed by the membrane process, clean production and consumes 30% less energy and the mercury contamination.. .

In a press conference in Madrid, the environmental asciación "demanded" not continue to allow the production of chlorine with mercury cell technology (which is not a Best Available Technology, under the IPPC Directive), which obliges companies to clean up soils and waters have been contaminated and to compensate the affected people