lima, 2 APR (EFE).-the Minister of the environment of Peru, Manuel Pulgar Vidal, said today that the mining company Doe Run Peru (PRA), American capital, will have to comply with its obligations environmental to restart its operations in the city of La Oroya, one of the most polluted in the world.
“any restructuring of the company is possible because it is always feasible to restructure, (but) passes through the fulfilment of environmental requirements,” emphasized Pulgar Vidal in a press conference.
The Minister also remarked that Ollanta Humala Government has clearly rejected a request for arbitration filed by the company of the American Tycoon Ira Rennert.
“PRA has an obligation to comply and has to comply without be initiating prosecutions everywhere, because not only is that arbitration is the challenge of the Peruvian State as creditor, said.
Pulgar Vidal explained that the company has lodged a series of legislative and administrative measures which, as he reiterated the Peruvian Executive rejects.
“As the President of the Council of Ministers, Oscar Valdés, and the Minister of energy and mines said, we demand that it meet its environmental obligations,” indicated.
Doe Run Peru paralyzed in 2009 the operations of the La Oroya metallurgical complex, 185 miles east of Lima, after facing serious funding problems.
Since that time, hundreds of employees of the company receive a percentage of their salary, while social and environmental organizations have denounced the repeated attempts of the company to postpone the implementation of pollution control plans with lead in La Oroya.
Last January, it was announced that the metallurgical complex would operate under the administration of Doe Run, following a decision of the Board of creditors, who agreed that the company should respect and guarantee the rights of workers, totaling 3,500, as well as the environmental policy of the State.
Doe Run Peru operates the La Oroya metallurgical complex since 1997, and the Cobriza, mine in Huancavelica region, since 1998, and mainly produces lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold.
From the international financial crisis, the mining reduced its operations to a minimum on the grounds he had no sufficient resources, after the suspension of a provision of a set of foreign banks.
The firm was expelled after the national society of mining, oil and energy (Snmpe) for not completing its programme of adaptation and environmental management (PAMA), a commitment that progress has been made since 2006 in little more than 50% and still requires an investment of about 160 million dollars to finish.
Picture taken the past 19 March in which occurred to the Minister of the environment of Peru, Manuel Pulgar Vidal (d), who remarked that the Peruvian Government has rejected a request for arbitration filed by the mining company Doe Run Peru (PRA). EFE/file
