by Kathy Melvin | Presbyterian News Service
Decades of toxic emissions from a nearby smelter in La Oroya, Peru, have caused acid rain that has burned the hillsides. (Photo by Jed Koball)
LOUISVILLE Ââ La Oroya, Peru is one of the most contaminated places in the world. Poisoned by the emissions of a U.S.-owned metals smelter, nearly 1,000 miles of surrounding land is contaminated as much as four inches deep with lead, cadmium and arsenic.
Despite the fact the smelter has not operated at full capacity for over a decade, more than 50% of La Oroyaâs children have extreme levels of lead in their blood.