POLLUTION BLOG

La reciente presentación del proyecto de ley por parte de la Agencia Nacional de Minería (ANM) que busca penalizar toda la cadena del mercurio en Colombia marca un hito significativo en la protección de la salud humana y del ambiente....

In a vibrant exchange of knowledge and emotions, a group of Peruvian women, members of the MAPE Women Miners Network of Madre de Dios, experienced a unique journey in Antioquia, Colombia. This internship, organized in collaboration with Wyss Academy, Pure...

Knowledge that transforms During a visit that combined technical knowledge with heartfelt connection, Pure Earth Colombia had the privilege of hosting and accompanying a group of Peruvian women miners from the Network of Women Miners of Madre de Dios on...

Conocimiento que transforma Durante una visita que combinó la técnica con el corazón, Pure Earth Colombia tuvo el privilegio de recibir y acompañar a un grupo de mujeres mineras peruanas integrantes de la Red de Mujeres Mineras de Madre de...

One year ago, a promise was made: to work alongside the women miners of Madre de Dios and support them on their journey toward responsible mining. Today, that promise becomes a reality with the signing of an agreement between Pure...

A California regulation went into effect this month that marks a significant milestone in preventing infant exposure to heavy metals. The new regulation requires manufacturers to disclose heavy metal levels in baby food. This regulation is part of the California...

La publicación del Informe Nacional: Minería Ilegal y Contaminación por Mercurio en Colombia marca un hito crucial en los esfuerzos por enfrentar los graves impactos socioambientales derivados de la minería ilegal y el uso de mercurio en el país. Este...

En el corazón de la Amazonía peruana, Madre de Dios se enfrenta a los desafíos del impacto ambiental y social causado por la minería artesanal y de pequeña escala (MAPE). Sin embargo, un grupo de mujeres está transformando esta realidad...

In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, Madre de Dios faces the environmental and social challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). However, a group of women is transforming this reality through an innovative project led by Pure...

Rodrigo Velarde, Pure Earth's new Country Manager for Peru, shares an update on his team's work in developing responsible solutions to mitigate pollution, and achieving recognition in the Latin American region for its work to create the first mercury-free gold...

In this spotlight, Lizeth Olaya Zambrano, Pure Earth’s new Country Director for Colombia, shares an update on the work of our team in Colombia. Their recent accomplishments include winning one of the top prizes in a global competition to conserve...

2022 was a year of growth. Pure Earth programs doubled in size, enabling us to expand our focus on lead and mercury in the most impacted countries. As a result of this expansion, long-time Pure Earth officer Drew McCartor, who...

Out of 121 applicants from 22 countries, a team from Pure Earth Colombia emerged as one of four winners of The Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge to develop new innovations to conserve the Amazon rainforest. Pure Earth's innovative technique uses copper...

For over four years, Pure Earth has been working with a mining association in an alliance that was formed thanks to the working relationship between the association's president Vilma C. and Pure Earth local coordinator France Cabanillas.  Today, the mining...

Recent high profile news reports, such NBC's "Paradise Lost: The weight of gold," are bringing fresh attention to the problem of mercury pollution and deforestation. Our latest story from the field shows the progress we are making in researching and...

Out of 121 applicants from 22 countries, a team from Pure Earth Colombia has emerged as one of the top 13 finalists selected for a $1 million challenge prize to protect the Amazon from impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold...

In a remote mining corridor in Peru, a mining association called AMATAF is on a mission to change the face of gold mining in the Amazon. [caption id="attachment_19667" align="alignnone" width="600"] Land degraded by gold mining can be seen in the...

Pure Earth reached several milestones in 2021, including critical recognition as the most effective organization working today to solve the global childhood lead poisoning crisis! We are especially proud of this as it reflects the hard work put in by the...

What a terrific team! Seven of the eight founding members of WiME (Women in Mining and Energy) in Indonesia. (left to right : Omar, Dian, Budi, Nukila, Khoirun, Dedy and Maya)   Jan. 2019--This month, a new initiative, Women in Mining...

Earlier this year, Pure Earth launched an ambitious project in Peru, supported by Brilliant Earth, a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry.  The goal: to transform the Chichiqueros artisanal gold mining community into a mercury-free model.  The Chichiqueros work in an area...

Meet Filipino gold miners Leoncio Na-Oy (pictured below, right) and Rudy Onos. Over the past few years, Pure Earth has been working with Leoncio and Rudy to test and teach a century-old, traditional method of mercury-free gold mining Leoncio rediscovered in his...

[caption id="attachment_16027" align="alignnone" width="300"] Actor Shiloh Fernandez with Caroline Dweck of Stephen Dweck.[/caption] Do you know where the gold in your jewelry comes from? Following the success of our recent Pure Earth Pure Gold Benefit Bash, we think many more people...

From the WHO Fact Sheet on Mercury and Health Key facts Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, and is...

Read the story on Medium. In Manado, at the picturesque tip of North Sulewesi in remote Indonesia, local artisanal gold miners may have found, in their backyards, the key to reducing mercury emissions.  Across Indonesia, you can see roofs of houses...

This week’s post comes from Andrew McCartor, Blacksmith’s program director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, who was recently in Mongolia.   There is no preparing for the Mongolian winter. When I stepped onto the tarmac in the capital city...

Earlier this month, Pure Earth was with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) in Minamata, Japan, to witness the landmark signing of the first international treaty to curb mercury pollution, and to help countries abide by the agreement. To...

Updated 2019 Child gold miners in Indonesia It has been over 50 years since the first sign of mass mercury poisoning emerged in Minamata, Japan. Cats in the village started staggering and tilting, doing a strange "dancing cat fever." Then...

A movement is taking root in the small province of Benguet in the Philippines that might just revolutionize the artisanal gold mining industry and greatly reduce worldwide toxic mercury emissions. Gold miners there are rediscovering a century-old method of gold...

[caption id="attachment_15423" align="alignnone" width="128"] Low-cost retort for recapturing mercury[/caption] August 2011 This is what I like to call our "miracle" mercury recapturing machine. Using simple, low-cost retorts like the one pictured here, Pure Earth has been able to reduce the...

Chronic mercury exposure in the U.S. has risen dramatically, not only in numbers of people affected but also in amounts. A study by Professor Dan Laks found that mercury was detected in only 2% of the blood samples collected over...