The gold mining industry is dumping an estimated 16.3 kilograms (36 pounds) of mercury – a dangerous and toxic mineral – into Myanmar’s waterways per day, from where it is entering the food supply and potentially poisoning the population, a former government official has warned.
Despite its toxicity, mercury use is largely unregulated, while those exposed to it are usually unaware of the potential consequences, former deputy director of the Ministry of Mines, U Sein Myint, said during a press conference in Yangon’s Myaynigone Plaza on March 18.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/10124-dangerous-levels-of-mercury-left-for-waste-by-gold-miners.html
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