Description

The diet and air pollution in Mariupol are so severe that it affects the health of children of steel workers.

Transcript

Pollution Impact of Mariupol on the Health Narrator: Svetlana became pregnant with Yula soon after she graduated as a metallurgical economist. During the final stages of her pregnancy, she decided to leave Mariupol to give her baby a better chance of being born healthy but Yula has still contracted chronic bronchiole problems. Pyatnitskaya: Everything that was kindergarten is paid for by trade unions of the Ilyich. They own and they run this place. Narrator: Children and the elderly are particularly risked from the air pollution in Mariupol. At this kindergarten, the plant pays for a full time nurse to supervise and prescribe treatments. Pyatnitskaya: The group of children here with special medical needs is very large. The children have a variety of illnesses. We think that it’s the environment, which has caused these illnesses. The diet is also to blame because the food here can be very poor. Narrator: Here, the children of steel workers stand a better chance of early diagnosis and treatment. Yula is one of the lucky ones. She is only able to attend the kindergarten because her grandfather Alexander works at the plant. Pyatnitskaya: I’d simply have all the plants removed. It’s as simple as that. The death rate is far too high because of the emissions. Female: Do you know how I should feel said about and the plants can’t be closed. The city just wouldn’t survive without them. Now you cannot survive without this chance. At the moment, there are fines imposed in the plants for polluting the environment and maybe they should impose tough of measures. Narrator: Although there are fines imposed on the plants for excessive air and water emissions, the fines tend to be small and are sometimes avoided all together. Water is used to cool and clean throughout the steel manufacturing process. The water is extracted from the sea and the rivers that flow into it. It is then returned untreated. Mariupol, on the shores of the Azov Sea is always been a fishing port. The Azov used to be known as the heaven of fish but not longer, pollution has taken its toll. Female: Many people come to Mariupol for thinking that it’s a health resort to get some rest and a suntan. The sea attracts so many people. Every summer there are announcements the beach is close and swimming is not allowed. Despite this, even though the consequences of swimming in this water can be horrific and many people get so ill that they have to go to hospital. People still swim. Male: It’s a lovely sea which the only one that I’ve caught in three hours. Last year, it was certainly battle for fish. Ten years ago, it was really very good. Me, I don’t bathe. I can’t remember the last time I went swimming. The sea is always too dirty but some people still bathe, they often come from a long way. Female: What do all problems have to do with emissions? It’s the whole situation that’s the problem. Of course, the emissions have an effect but they are only part of the picture. They used to be fish in the sea until recently there were bullhead and parched. Female: The river fish is probably okay to buy but not the sea fish. The water is very dirty in the sea. It’s okay if it’s fresh water fish but sometimes it’s not so safe. I’m fed up with all your emissions. You should go and try to grow off the plant. Tell the plant managers how pensioners lived now. You see life has crashed us so badly that for us these emissions don’t meaning anything. My life has crashed me to such an extent that I want to scream out loud.