Despite the regular accidents, little has been done to regulate small-scale mining. Major mining companies have decried the failure to regulate small-scale miners, whose unsafe and irresponsible practices have tarnished industry efforts to clean up its act.
The country has suffered the consequences of irresponsible mining. Marinduque is still feeling the impact of the 1996 Marcopper disaster, which destroyed its main river and caused illnesses in the affected communities. Environmental groups believe responsible mining is an oxymoron.
Several mining companies have moved to clean up their operations while arguing, amid calls for a total mining ban in many areas, that the world can’t do without extractive activities. Efforts by the major players to improve safety and environment records are set back each time a disaster occurs in small-scale mining sites.
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