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Tracing carcinogen at Thach Khe iron mine
Misleading data?
According to the report of the Ha Tinh Department of Health dated 26/10/2012, from 2008 to September 2012, the number of living cancer patients in Thach Hai commune is 8, 2 in Thach Khe commune, zero in Thach Dinh commune. Those who died of cancer in Thach Hai is 18, Thach Khe 20 and Thach Dinh 20.
The mortality rate is 10.5/10,000 people in Thach Hai, 11.5/10,000 in Thach Khe, 10.7/10,000 in Thach Dinh. The average rate of the three above communes is 10.9/10,000.
In the two villages of Dai Hai and Lien Hai alone, as reported by the villages, in the past 10 years, there were 56 people with cancer. The number of cancer patients increased highly in the last 5 years.
The report also stated that the national index for cancer is 10/10,000 while it is 11.1/10,000 for Ha Tinh. Therefore, the rate of cancer in the three above communes is equivalent to the average of the country.
In Lien Hai village of Thach Hai commune, with 460 people in total, in the last 5 years there were seven people who died of cancer, three times higher than average of Thach Hai commune.
Comparing the data supplied by the Ha Tinh Department of Health with data of the local authorities, which had previously provided for VietNamNet, there are significant differences, especially in Thach Hai commune.
According to the list of people who died of cancer, provided by Mr. Nguyen Trung Chien, Chairman of Thach Hai commune, in the last 10 years nearly 100 locals died of cancers, including 22 in Thach Hai.
The number of new patients increased highly in recent years.
According to the Thach Khe commune health station, the commune currently has five cancer patients while it is only two in the report of the provincial Department of Health.
"Turbidity, iron content in excess"
After testing three samples of water around the iron mines, the Ha Tinh Department of Health has concluded: turbidity from 3.7 - 14.3 NTU, the iron content of 0.95 - 1.7 mg/l, while the allowable limit for turbidity is 5 NTU, the iron content of 0.5 mg/l.
The source of water is determined with turbidity and iron content exceeding the permitted levels. However, for heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury, the Ha Tinh Department of Health did not have enough equipment to test.
"The test results showed that turbidity and iron content exceed the limit allowed for drinking water, under the regulations of the Ministry of Health. Other indicators are in the limit," the report stated.
The survey team of the Ha Tinh Department of Health did not find carcinogen factors such as toxic chemicals, pesticides, environmental pollution in the three communes.
The report also suggested that the Ha Tinh People's Committee to make environmental impact assessment in the residential areas around the Thach Khe iron mine.
The report also recommended the Ministry of Health and the Environmental Management Agency to help Ha Tinh conduct tests of heavy metals and other factors in the water resource of the three above communes, especially in Lien Hai village of Thach Hai commune.
Tran Van - Duy Tuan
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