Limestone Factory and Mine Cause Illnesses and Destroy Environment in the Ribera Cahuare, Chiapa de Corzo

The Ribera Cahuaré

Ecocide does not limit itself to the destruction of the environment - its consequences extend to the destruction of human life. Such is the experience lived by the people of the Ribera Cahuaré (“Cahuaré”).

Cahuaré is a small town located outside Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capital of Chiapas. The town sits on the Grijalva River, and contains within its territory the Sumidero Canyon National Park. (see map) Tourists regularly pass through Cahuaré, since boat operators offering tours through the canyon depart from the town’s shores.

Yet neither the presence of the town’s population nor the town’s role in the tourism industry have halted the ongoing ecocide caused by the company Cales y Morteros del Grijalva, S.A. de C.V., a company that bases itself on the production and processing of limestone. In 1963, Cales y Morteros opened its limestone factory and mine inside the limits of Cahuaré, and has been operating ever since then. (see map) To date, the level of contamination produced by Cales y Morteros has reached a toxic level, resulting in chronic sicknesses in the population and devastation wrought upon the wildlife and vegetation that once inhabited the region.

What Types of Emissions do the Limestone Factory and Mine Produce?

The factory and mine produce, in general, four types of emissions: smoke, noise, limestone dust, and detonations.

Smoke – The factory emits a noxious black smoke that smells of burnt rubber or sulfur, produced when the factory ovens burn the petroleum-based combustible PetCoke.

Noise – The noise caused by the factory, which includes the noise of tumbling rocks being crushed, creates a noise pollution heard both day and night. The Instituto de Historia Natural y Ecologia (IHNE, Institute of Natural History and Ecology) measured the noise emissions at a rate of 80 - 89 decibels, exceeding the permissible levels of 68 decibels during the day and 65 decibels during the night.

Limestone Dust – The limestone factory and mine produce a white limestone residue that settles over Cahuaré, often in large quantities that produce limestone dust storms. (see photo)

Detonations – Inside the mine, the company detonates dynamite twice a week to extract the limestone, causing vibrations that resemble seismic movements.

What Effects do the Emissions Cause on the Health of the People of Cahuaré?

These emissions produce grave health effects in Cahuaré’s population, including the following:

Respiratory Diseases – The smoke and dust produce respiratory illnesses, including the flu and chronic coughs, which often advance to form allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, or asthma. The May 2011 diagnosis of the Chiapas State Secretary of Health (SSA) supports this claim, indicating that 25.5% of the population of Cahuaré suffers from allergic rhinitis, 20.6% suffers from acute respiratory infections, and 0.7% has bronchial asthma, with the limestone mine and factory being a primary cause in the creation of these illnesses. The children are the group most affected by these illnesses.

Skin Diseases – Skin allergies and diseases are frequent, such as skin rashes caused by chemical burns. The children in particular show skin that is burnt or peeling. According to the SSA, skin problems are the second-most recurrent problem, with 23.2% of the population in Cahuaré experiencing dermatitis.

Heightened Nervous System – Due to the factory’s constant noise, the people are sleep-deprived and high-strung. Constant noise during the day interrupts daily routines, while noise at night makes sleeping difficult, resulting in heightened stress.

Headaches and Migraines – Headaches and migraines are common, with 18.3% of the people suffering from cephalalgia, according to the SSA.

Irritation of the Nose – The smoke and dust breathed by the population contain various metals and chemicals, given that the factory burns the combustible PetCoke. PetCoke, as a petroleum derivative, contains highly toxic heavy metals, such as vanadium, cadmium, and sulfur. The constant respiration of these chemicals, smoke, and dust, causes the interior mucus lining of the nostrils to be consistently dry. This causes pain and frequent bloody noses, especially in the children.

Irritation of the Eyes – Due to the smoke and chemicals that reach the population of Cahuaré, the people suffer from a high degree of eye irritation.

Nausea – The smell of the smoke produced by the factory causes nausea. If the smoke’s initial smell does not cause nausea, the taste of the smoke that follows usually does.

Perhaps the most tragic aspect is that the children are the most affected. Their respiratory diseases are usually more severe, often developing into chronic asthma. They, more than others, show skin diseases and bloody noses. Constant sicknesses additionally affect attendance at school. In general, the SSA reports that according to the mortality rates, children ages 5 to 9, followed by those ages 10 to 14, suffer the most.

What Types of Effects do the Emissions Cause on the Environment and Homes of Cahuaré?

In addition to producing grave illnesses, the factory destroys the environment, even the houses, in which the people live.

Atmospheric Emissions – When the factory ovens burn the combustible PetCoke, smoke spews into the environment. The smoke and its particles reach the houses in Cahuaré, shown by the greasy cap of soot that appears every morning in the town’s pools and water sources (see photo). Given the toxic heavy metal content of PetCoke, the daily presence of PetCoke residue in the houses causes constant exposure to toxic metals, some of which are known to produce cancer.

Accumulation of Lime Deposits – Lime residue contaminates Cahuaré’s water. Deposits form in the water, blocking pipes and sewage systems. Lime residue within the cleaning water erodes the surfaces in homes, especially the floors and walls. The water is no longer drinkable, and families who have the economic means to do so must bring water from outside the community for basic home consumption.

Deaths and Plagues of Plant Life – Limestone dust settles on the plants, producing plagues and killing the plants. As the plants die, many of them form black or white spider web designs on their leaves. Fruit trees, such as mango trees, form large white balls instead of fruit. Trees such as the mulato, nanche, wach, and figs are in danger of regional extinction, while certain plants have already gone extinct in the region, such as the Grijalvensis agave and the jocote.

Deliberate Elimination of Plants and Wildlife – The mine where the company excavates limestone is completely barren. The ecosystem in the area has been destroyed with the elimination of trees, plants, and fertile earth. With the disappearance of the ecosystem, local animals disappear as their habitats vanish.

The damage caused by these emissions not only impact the water, plant, and animal life in the region. The detonations cause structural damage to the town’s buildings and to the walls of the Sumidero Canyon.

Damage to Buildings, Structures, and Houses – Seismic movements caused by the company’s dynamite detonations have severely damaged the walls, floors, and roofs of the houses in Cahuaré. More than 40 people report mandatory reconstruction of their houses due to damaged and cracked structures. The grade school “Licenciado Benito Juarez” required demolition and reconstruction in 2003 due to the gravity of the structural instability caused by the detonation-induced cracks. Only eight years after rebuilding the school, the new schoolhouse once more shows cracks caused by the dynamite explosions. These detonations also impact the international bridge “Belisario Dominguez,” having caused the bridge to become unleveled.

Cracking in the Wall of the Sumidero Canyon – Due to the dynamite detonations, the east wall of the Sumidero Canyon is cracked and fissured. Given that the Sumidero Canyon is one of the 13 Natural Marvels of Mexico, its gradual destruction is a loss of cultural heritage both to the Chiapanecan people, as well as the whole of Mexico.

What Laws are Cales y Morteros and the Mexican Government Currently Violating?

Both the company and the Mexican government are violating domestic and international law. Cales y Morteros is violating these laws by “acts of commission,” that is, the company’s actions directly harm the people of Cahuaré. The Mexican government is violating these laws by “acts of omission,” meaning that even though the government is legally obligated to act against the company to protect the people of Cahuaré, the government is failing to act.

Violations of International Law

The Mexican government has ratified various international treaties and conventions that the government is obligated to obey and fulfill. Included in these treaties and conventions are the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the American Convention on Human Rights, and the Charter of the Organization of the American States.

These laws include rights that both Cales y Morteros and the Mexican government are currently violating. One example includes the right of the people to the highest level of physical and mental health, as well as the specific right of children to enjoy the highest possible level of health. Children are specifically granted the right of the protection and the promotion by the government of their wellbeing, as well as the intrinsic right to life. Additionally, children have the right to education, a right they cannot fulfill under current conditions. Furthermore, the people of Cahuaré are entitled the right to an adequate life, including adequate access to food, clothing, and shelter. The government is obligated to guarantee that the corresponding authorities attend to cases and protect the rights of the people.

Violations of Domestic Law

Of particular note within Mexican law are the Mexican Constitution and the Ley General del Equilibrio Ecologico y la Proteccion al Ambiente (the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Protection of the Environment, LGEEPA). The Constitution states in Articles 1 and 133 that the international human rights treaties ratified by the Mexican government become the supreme law of the land. Thus, the international laws listed above and the rights they protect are considered part of Mexico’s national laws. Additionally, the LGEEPA protects the right to a healthy, clean environment in which people can live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

What Can Be Done?

Impunity and corruption work best when no one is watching. That means that the more eyes are on the situation, and the more the Mexican government knows it is being watched, the more the people of Cahuaré can achieve. If you wish to participate in the struggle against the limestone mine and factory of Cahuaré, here are a few suggestions for how to get involved:

1) By visiting the website of the group Salva la Selva, you can help pressure the state and federal government authorities by participating in a letter sending campaign.

2) Add the group “Cahuare Chiapas” on Facebook as a friend.

3) “Like” Cahuaré’s Facebook page, which is listed as “Denuncia Contaminacion y Destruccion en el Cañón del Sumidero.”

4) Send this article to your local, state, or national newspaper, radio, or TV station, and ask that they cover the story. They can contact the author of this article at 14pesosblog@gmail.com for more information regarding the case.

For more information regarding the case of Cahuaré, contact cahuare@gmail.com (in Spanish) or 14pesosblog@gmail.com (in English or Spanish), and see the website regarding the situation in Cahuaré.