Posted on octubre, 22 2006

Lima, Peru – An agreement between the government of Peru, the Achuar indigenous people and Argentinean oil company Pluspetrol will see contaminated wetlands in the Amazon cleaned up after decades of pollution.

According to the agreement, all production waters generated during petroleum extraction operations in the Abanico de Pastaza wetlands in northern Peru are to be re-injected into the subsoil by July 2008. In addition, a US$13 million integrated health fund is to be created by Pluspetrol for local indigenous groups that have been badly affected by 30 years of contamination. The oil company will also provide training to communities to monitor and guarantee a freshwater supply.

The agreement was pushed through by FECONACO (Organization of the Corrientes River Indigenous Community), with key support from indigenous rights NGO Racimos de Ungurahui, as well as WWF.

“This is a unique achievement,” said Fred Prins, WWF Peru’s Country Representative. “The agreement will allow the three parties to work together towards a solution to clean up the environment.”

According to WWF, Pluspetrol has been dragging its feet for several years to re-inject 1.1 million barrels of production water contaminated with heavy metals (mainly lead and cadmium) and hydrocarbons, and has continued to dump its waste into rivers without any treatment.

Recent studies have provided proof of severe water pollution among local communities. Blood testing has shown that most children living in the in the Corrientes river basin, where the wetlands are located, have lead and cadmium concentration at levels above the current guidelines of the World Health Organization.

WWF has also facilitated studies to demonstrate the technical and financial feasibility of a plan that allows safe underground disposal of the production water.

Since 1999, WWF has worked with local indigenous groups in Peru’s Abanico de Pastaza wetlands area to assist in building legal and environmental capacities. The global conservation organization has also helped start an oil contamination monitoring programme and supported several studies that helped Achuar reach the agreement with the Peruvian government and the oil company.

“We will continue working with local communities of the Corrientes river basin to ensure the fulfillment of the agreement, which should bring about a healthier environment for the people living here,” added Michael Valqui, WWF Peru’s Freshwater Programme Manager.

END NOTES:

• WWF led the process that helped create the 4 million-hectare Abanico del Rio Pastaza wetland complex, the second largest Ramsar site of international importance. The site contains an extraordinary diversity of both permanent and seasonal wetland types, with abundant lakes and remnant islands. The Pastaza supports a large population of the palm trees seen only in a few places in Peru, and nearly 300 fish species have been recorded.

• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands — signed in 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran — is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. There are currently 153 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1,629 wetland sites, totalling over 145.6 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

For more information:
Monica Echeverria, Senior Communications Officer
WWF-US
Tel: +1 202 778 9626
Email : monica.echeverria@wwfus.org

Sebastian Suito, Communications Officer
WWF-Peru
Tel: +51 1 440 5550
Email: sebastian.suito@wwfperu.org.pe