Lake Titicaca strangled by pollution: more than 12 million cubic meters of sewage water dumped yearly, fish poisoned by mercury

The uncontrolled dumping of sewage waste and tailings produced by more than 30,000 small-scale miners are causing widespread environmental damage in Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America and the highest commercially navigable lake in the world.

Junín residents demand solution to grave environmental contamination in the region and city of La Oroya

Representatives of Junín’s Environmental Association delivered a 9,548-signature petition to Peru President Alan García on Wednesday, demanding a solution for the severe environmental contamination in the region, and especially in La Oroya.
Residents have also demanded that Doe Run Peru, which runs the poly-metallic smelter in La Oroya, comply with its environmental clean-up plan, and that [...]

Only 2 percent of Peru’s trash recycled, much burned or dumped into sea

Only 2 percent of trash in Peru is recycled, while 61 percent ends up in open dumps, 12 percent is burned and 3 percent is thrown into rivers, lakes and the ocean, according to the non-governmental organization Citizens of the Day, or CAD.
According to CAD’s recently published report, 83 percent of Peru’s cities, towns and [...]

Decontamination of Rimac River to cost more than $100 million

A thorough and complete cleanup of Peru’s heavily polluted Rimac River could potentially cost more than $100 million and take up to five years, said Chaclacayo mayor and President of the Rimac River Mayors’ Association, Alfredo Valcárcel Cahen.
Because of the environmental and health risks, Valcárcel’s association has prepared an integral cleanup plan, which is soon [...]

Environment Ministry to take emergency measures to reduce heavy-metal and mining contamination in Amazon region

Emergency measures to reduce heavy-metal contamination in Peru’s Mantaro River basin and pollution caused by informal mining in the Amazon’s Madre de Dios region are soon to be implemented, said Environment Minister Antonio Brack Egg on Sunday.

Lake Chinchaycocha threatened by growing contamination of its waters by mine tailings

Lake Chinchaycocha, Peru’s second largest lake, is threatened by growing contamination of its waters by mine tailings, reported daily El Comercio on Friday.
The lake, which constitutes central Peru’s largest water reserve, is dying little by little because of mining-related activity and contamination, said Junín Regional President Vladimiro Huaroc Portocarrero, during a regional assembly of mayors [...]