This Saturday, the Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, together with the Minister of Health, María Begoña Yarza, confirmed the implementation of new measures in the face of the pollution episodes recorded in Concón, Quintero and Puchuncaví, in the Valparaiso region.
In the instance, the Secretaries of State of both portfolios, together with the Governor of Valparaíso, Rodrigo Mundaca and other regional authorities, agreed on a series of measures that allow the prompt return to classes of the students of the affected communes, which are canceled due to pollution that caused dizziness and vomiting in students.
This was confirmed by the head of Health, María Begoña Yarza, who indicated that “the health alert not only has the resources to act quickly, but even more importantly, it puts us in a more preventive perspective, taking early measures.”
Along the same lines, Yarza announced that a series of studies will be carried out in order to determine the impact of heavy metals in the community, in a process that will begin next July. These results will be important to evaluate the preventive and mitigation measures in the citizenry.
In addition, the creation of a Comprehensive Sanitary Recovery Plan (PIRS) was announced, which will seek to repair the health of the population of Quintero and Puchuncaví. Said plan is focused on the entire population, but places main emphasis on boys, girls, adolescents and older adults.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, indicated that from next Monday, the companies in the industrial chain must report the immediate measures adopted to lower pollution levels, and next Friday, they will deliver the updated measures to operational plans.
“We want to minimize the risks so that there are no more effects on the health of the population,” said Minister Rojas.
It should be noted that a “universal census” will be carried out in the region, which will be registered in the communes of Concón, Puchuncaví and Quintero. These results will be applied through an environmental device, which seeks to know the real affectation of people, beyond intoxication, in a sector with extensive industrial activity.
