Environmentalist warns of mining industries’ hazards

An Armenian environmentalist on Monday voiced her concerns over the imminent threats stemming from the exploitation of mines.

Silva Adamyan said their studes in several mine-rich regions revealed a serious damage to Mother Nature, especially in the south of Armenia.

“The studies were conducted in the Lori region, Zangezour and the Ararat valley. The situation in the villages of Zangezour, Kajaran and Kapan raises especially serious concerns, as recently conducted studies in those places revealed heavy metals in soil and water. The reasons are absolutely clear: miners do not duly use their potential,” she told reporters.

Adamyan said she is absolutely surprised that despite the repeated concerns by environmental NGOs and activists, the Ministry of Health remains somewhat silent on the issue.

“Тhey too, have serious concerns, but we have not for now seen real steps undertaken. The very fact that we are the second world country with a high cancer mortality rate testifies to our failure to properly and comprehensively study the environment,” she added.

Citing recent studies by the NGO  Women for Environment, Adamyan highlighted particularly a finding on heavy metals' serious impact on the endocrine system.

Meantime she admited that climate-related changes remain a global concern.

“The World Health Organization has voiced alarm of such diseases as malaria, cholera, plague etc. That isn’t something awaiting us right now, but an increasing scale of changes and transforming landscapes will change also the system of insects and parasites, provoking real hazards,” she added.