August 20, 2008
Close-Up of Moa, Cuba... YUK!
I thought you would like to see what Moa looks like thanks to the nickel plants. Babalu reader and recipient of the Sherritt email, Aaron, sent me this link to Moa on Google Earth a few days ago, and reader PTG posted it today. The markers are already in place. They are numerous and if you click on the little squares (not in this photo, follow the link above) you will get a picture of each location taken by a tourist in Cuba. The black reservoir is particularly lovely.
If you drag the map to the left, west of Punta Gorda is the Che Guevara nickel factory at 20°38"03.79N and 74°52'55.83"W and you can click for the photo of the red smoke coming out of the factory. (The EPA has determined that nickel refinery dust and nickel subsulfide are human carcinogens.)
I also found this information from a study at the University of Delaware from 2000 entitled, Environmental Degradation and Vulnerability in Cuba, which might interest the environmentalists who like to film documentaries about the beautiful flora and fauna of Cuba:
"One of the most serious cases, albeit less publicized, is the contamination produced by the nickel industry on the northeastern end of the island. A Cuban press release six years ago (Prensa Latina, 1994) disclosed that the Pedro Soto Alba plant (formerly, Moa Bay) dumped more than 12,000 cubic meters of untreated liquid waste (3.17 billion gallons) into the sea daily. The waste contained 72 tons of aluminum, 48 tons of chromium, 15 tons of magnesium and 30 tons of sulfuric acid. By way of comparison, the treatment standards for wastewater in the United States limit the concentration of chromium to a maximum of 0.32 milligrams per liter, 12 times less than the daily dumping into Moa Bay by only one of the three nickel plants operating in the area."
Just one more way that fifo and raúl are sticking it to the Cuban people. Who needs the gulag when you can have lungs full of nickel dust? I know, I know, it's the USA's fault.
Posted by Claudia4Libertad at August 20, 2008 10:01 PM
Comments
Unbelievable.
I agree with Claudia that I don't think that all Canadians are like these people, but this really sucks, especially when you read the response of that so-called Sherritt "executive".
I can't help to think about what would have felt, when reading that crappy email, someone who have lost a loved one to lung cancer caused by the pollution in Moa.
Seing the Google images, what comes to my mind first are the images from the movie "Erin Brokovich" --not sure about the spelling.
Se impone una pregunta: Where are the entire world's enviromentalists now?
Posted by: Cubanita in Colorado ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 21, 2008 12:35 AM
The horrible thing about Sherritt is that it does in Cuba what it cannot do in Canada, because of Canada's very strict environmental laws. What's more, I read some time ago that Canada is not ONLY harming Cuba vis-a-vis the pollution from Sherritt, but that it [at least in the past] used to harm Cuba in a far more direct way by using it as a dumping ground for toxic waste that could not be legally disposed of in Canada. castro would allow the Canadians to dump toxic waste in Cuba in exchange for pay.
Ironic that Canadians use Cuba worst than--as the propaganda goes-- the USA allegedly used to use Cuba, and yet, they feel morally superior to Americans. For what? For propping castro up diplomatically? For polluting Cuba? For buying Cuba's national patrimony, its artwork, and stolen property from Cuban families that is later sold at Sotheby's and Christies??
Canada is such a lovely country!
Posted by: Ray at August 21, 2008 12:52 AM
I believe the worlds enviro nazis are silent when it comes to the crimes of their brothers...
The only board member I know of is Marc Lalonde. A Liberal.
in the same vein as Pierre Trudeau.
The Liberal Party of Canada also played a role in the railway from China into Tibet, which brings more chinese misery and control of Tibet everyday, and the dam at the 3 Gorges on the Yangtze River in China, which displaced 1.4 million people.
To suggest they care of environmental problems elsewhere in the world is to invite contempt by any thinking people.
It's all about the money for them.
the Liberals are no longer in power here, but the influence is still felt.
for now...
I would like to suggest a way of having them search their soul regarding this ongoing environmental disaster, but I don't know how, perhaps having them so embarrassed in the news media, or having large pension fund managers divest their holdings in Sherritt.
I cannot see that happening, it's simply worth too much money to them. and they answer to shareholders, not cubans.
At some point in the future, I hope soon... democracy will come to Cuba, perhaps then these people will be held accountable.
Posted by: marc in calgary at August 21, 2008 01:31 AM
Of course, if Freeport Nickel, still held the concession at Moa Bay; it would be worse; ask
Rachel Kushner; she'd agree (sarcasm intended)
Posted by: narciso79 at August 21, 2008 11:52 AM