It has not yet been proven that there is aquifer contamination, or on land, and even recently it was determined that there were different livestock that had been put there for production, immediately the Ministry of Health coordinated with those responsible and they were removed from the site. But at the level of aquifer contamination there is no mercury contamination, for the time being.”
That was the statement by Minister of Health Daniel Salas, given after a hearing in the Environment Commission, in the Legislative Assembly.
Salas was asked about the actions being carried out by the Ministry of Health in Crucitas, in Cutris de San Carlos, after a study by the National University (UNA) was revealed in December at the request of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), confirming the contamination of water with mercury.
In this preliminary study in Crucitas, high levels of total mercury (Hg-T) were found in samples of fish, plants, water and sediment collected inside and outside the affected areas,”
indicates the study published in September 2018, but released in December.
The accumulation of mercury in fish and plants in the studied area suggests the use of mercury in the sites for the extraction of gold. Due to the high removal of soil material, the expansion of the bed of the watercourse, the high amount of sediment in suspension, the release of organic matter in the water, all in combination with intensive rainfall in the area will generate a shift of mercury and it will result in a significant affectation of the aquatic ecosystem both locally and downstream,”
warned UNA’s analysis.
Despite this, Salas reported that the Ministry has focused on detecting possible cases of leishmania and malaria in the area, although he pointed to the comprehensive approach to the problem in conjunction with other institutions such as MINAE.
The statements of the hierarchy surprised the legislator María José Corrales of the National Liberation Party (PLN) who visits the area frequently.
Almost eleven months into this administration, Corrales showed her concern for the work done in Crucitas by the Government, and assures that only at the security level has there been a prompt but insufficient response.