Behavioural change has seen mercury levels dropping in persons living in the hinterland communities of Isseneru, Micobie and Gunn’s Strip, according to a study by the Guyana Environmental Capacity Development Project (GENCAPD).
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-funded GENCAPD wraps up its work here and scientific consultant Richard Couture unveiled the results of the study at a final meeting with stakeholders at the CIDA building on Main Street yesterday. The assessment was undertaken over the past ten years in three areas: Gunn’s Strip in the South Rupununi (a non-mining area), Micobie (a Region Seven community relatively new to mining) and Isseneru, an Amerindian reservation also in Region Seven (Cuyuni /Mazaruni).
The study was undertaken during the two phases of GENCAPD’s project agenda. The first phase of the GENCAPD project was undertaken from 2000 to 2007 and the second phase was undertaken in 2007 for a three-year period.
Couture stated that the project plan was based on the preamble that there is a high presence of mercury at the mining areas in Guyana since the chemical is widely used in the purification of gold. As was noted previously by GENCAPD, the study indicated that the persons tested in the three areas had absorbed the chemical after eating fish. Couture noted that the communities in question utilized fish in high quantities due to its availability.
He said that for the study in 2001, during the first phase of the project, tests were conducted in eight communities; Paruima, Mahdia, Kurupung, Eyelash, Tumereng, Isseneru, Micobie and Gunn’s Strip and the results indicated high levels of mercury within persons living in the latter three areas. The levels were: at Isseneru (18.2 hg), Micobie (21.3hg) and Gunns Strip (24.8 hg). The human body should have a level of mercury of 10.15 hg or below.
Couture said that at Gunn’s Strip, residents there eat “a lot of fish”. He noted that the households there consume the bigger species of fish as they are prevalent at the estuary of the Essequibo River.
In the second phase of GENCAPD’s project agenda, the project was more focused on reducing the levels of mercury in residents in the three areas in question, and Couture noted that children below the ages of three and pregnant mothers were the target group. He stated that being indigenous communities it is always difficult to change the perception of foods common to the community.
At the conclusion of studies this year, Couture noted that the levels of mercury were: at Isseneru (15 hg), Micobie (10hg) and at Gunn’s Strip (21 hg). The question was asked as to why there was a large reduction of the level at Micobie and not the two other areas and Couture noted that at Micobie, social and economic life has seen a major change in recent times, with gold mining activities playing a major role.
He said more persons are now in a position to purchase sources of protein, other than fish while in the other sample areas, fish consumption remains high.
He also pointed out that mercury in a vapour form is present in the non-mining areas. He noted that the element travels in that form easily and cited the situation at Gunn’s Strip. Liquid mercury, because it cannot travel, remains stagnant, such as at mining areas.
Meanwhile, head of the Environmental Division at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Karen Livan told the gathering that the mining programmes which have been implemented by GENCAPD will be monitored and nurtured by the commission. She said that more than 90% of the mining operations in Guyana are small and medium scale, and on average, about 1000 separate operations are within the industry here.
The practice of environmental management, improved sanitation, reduction of the impact of mining operations on communities and the recovery of fine gold are several areas which the commission and GENCAPD have been working to address.
As regards sanitation, Livan alluded to a recent news item which was published by this newspaper regarding sanitation practices at Tobago Hill in Region One. She noted that in the mining sector it is important to have operable sanitation plans.
Livan also alluded to a tailings management project which GENCAPD implemented last year. The project was launched at the Mahdia mining district. Its aim is to confine water used in the operations to the mining pits using primary and secondary tailings ponds. Livan stated that there is the need for cooperation between the miners for the tailings project to work, since more than one operation could fund a tailings project in their immediate vicinity. The cost for such a project lies in the vicinity of US$2500 or two ounces of gold.
She also noted that the mining industry should brace itself for a challenging future; the use of mercury in the industry being a prime case. She said that in June this year a committee delegated by the United Nations was set up to deliberate at the international level, the creation of an instrument/treaty relating to the disuse of mercury. Once the treaty is ratified by the committee, countries which are gold producing nations will be called to sign the treaty by 2013.”The industry has to gear up to eliminate the use of mercury…first reduce then eliminate”, Livan said.
GENCAPD’s programme agenda from 2007 included research, analysis and the implementation of programmes to strengthen the health and mining sector as well as the economy. The project, which was deemed successful by its managers, was funded by CIDA and the Government of Guyana. The project managers expressed hope that its implemented programmes will be fostered in future by the relevant agencies. The project’s life officially ends on November 15.
