“We have studied the level of water contamination by chemicals from metal industries and how it has affected those who live nearby. We have found that those who live very close to the mining areas and located less than 3 kilometers from these areas are the most affected. They have very high concentrations of toxic metals in their body,” Celestin Banza, a professor and a toxicologist told AFP.
Around 15 tonnes of mercury are used annually in the DRC’s artisanal gold-mining operations, making it the second largest source of mercury emissions in Africa.
According to the United Nation Environmental Programme, DRC has half of Africa’s forests and water resources, but faces alarming rates of deforestation, species depletion, heavy metal pollution and land degradation from mining.
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