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Decrease air pollution in Zenica!

Decrease air pollution in Zenica!

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This petition has been created by Ena F. and may not represent the views of the Avaaz community.
Ena F.
started this petition to
local government of the city Zenica (B&H) and managers of ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the world's leading integrated steel and mining company. On the website, you can find their statements on corporate social responsibility, sustainable practices and environment protection. In Zenica, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they have been neglecting all environmental laws. With local government that is still silent about this issue, they have created a life-threatening situation for all citizens of Zenica.

As usual from November to February, a toxic cloud forms over the city which traps all the substances rising from the chimneys of steel plants, other factories, and houses. Because of bizarre historical circumstances, the city and the steel plant shared the valley of the city for a long time, so the factory itsefl is located in the city. What does this mean? Just an illustrative example: the acceptable concentration of sulfur-dioxide in the air is 350 micrograms, and Zenica’s air reached 1.400 micrograms per cubic meter, far above the acceptable concentration!

Once Mittal bought the factory and afterwards became the majority owner, it promised to invest about 80 million dollars. For the owner of the company Lakshmi Nivas Mittal, one of the richest people in the world, it seemed to be entirely feasible. The ownership transfer contract did not include any obligation to invest in environmental protection. In fact, the new owner was even allowed to reactivate the old plants. The promise of building filters and reducing the pollution has never been fulfilled. This has consequences on all citizens of Zenica, mostly on children, because there is a growing risk of cancer. In the industrial district of Zenica, the number of tumours have increased alarmingly over the last ten years. The pollution is coming to the point of being unbearable.

We need your help! Sign to help us create pressure on the corrupted government and ArcerolMittal! They need to change the agreement that regulates the business of ArcelorMittal in Zenica and include the clause on environmental protection, so we can pressure them to install efficient filters on the plant and enjoy our human right of having clean air.

Posted (Updated )