The Ministry of the Environment declared a state of environmental emergency in the region of Huancavelica, especially in Huancavelica city. The levels of heavy metal contamination (mercury, arsenic, and lead) in the area are alarmingly high, posing a serious health risk to a significant number of people. The government developed a plan to mitigate the risk by implementing new preventative measures.
More than 10 million Peruvian citizens may have been affected by this kind of contamination. In the Huancavelica region, for example, it is estimated that 19000 persons are exposed to dangerous levels of heavy metals like lead and arsenic. The government is proposing the creation of a registry to track those affected.
