Bajos de Haina, also known simply as Haina, is a town and municipality in the San Cristóbal (province), of the Dominican Republic. In 1993 the population was estimated at 68,261, but recent estimates in 2005 claimed the population was as high as 140,175. It is about 10 miles/16km west of Santo Domingo; 18°25'N 70°02'W. Port and industrial center. Bajos de Haina, has been referred to as the 'Dominican Chernobyl'. The Dominican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, since its creation in 2000, has identified Haina as a national hotspot of significant concern. According to the United Nations, the population of Haina is considered to have the highest level of lead contamination in the world, and its entire population carries indications of lead poisoning. The contamination is believed to have been caused by the past industrial operations of the nearby Baterías Meteoro, an automobile battery recycling smelter. Although the company has moved to a new site, the contamination still remains.^[1] San Cristóbal is a province in the southern Dominican Republic, west of the capital Santo Domingo. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Santo Domingo from space, May 1992 Plaza Colón Santo Domingo de Guzmán, population 2,061,200 (2003), estimated 2,253,437 in 2006, is the capital and the largest city of the Dominican Republic. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... Lead poisoning is a medical condition, also known as saturnism, plumbism or painters colic, caused by increased blood serum lead levels. ...

History

According to some versions, Miguel Díaz, who had migrated from La Isabela, arrived to Haina after having injured a man who was intimately related to the Spanish authorities. Once he settled there, he married a native woman named Catalina who told him of a gold deposit in the western bank of the Haina River. After confirming the existence of the precious metal, he returned to La Isabela where he told Christopher Columbus and his brother Bartholomew of his discovery. The Admiral sent his brother to confirm the existence of the deposit, since he had to leave for Europe. Christopher Columbus portrait, painted by Alejo Fernándõ between 1505 and 1536. ...

Bartholomew realized that there indeed was gold and decided to build a fort that he named San Cristóbal, which served as lodging for the soldiers that participated in this activity.

A very large gold nugget was found in 1502, at the western bank of the Haina River, eight kilometers from Villa Altagracia, in a place known as Madrigal. The nugget was sent to Spain, but the ship that carried it sank along with Governor Francisco Bobadilla, Cacique Guarionex and dozens of Spaniards.^[2] 1502 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Health Issue

This highly populated area known as Bajos de Haina is severely contaminated with lead from a closed down automobile battery recycling smelter. The Dominican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, since its creation in 2000, has identified Haina as a national hotspot of significant concern. Various studies have found alarming lead levels in the Haina community, with blood and soil levels several orders of magnitude over regular limits. The contamination is caused by the past industrial operations of the nearby Metaloxa battery plant. Although the company has moved to a new site (which is contaminating a new neighborhood, albeit less populous), the contamination still remains.

The most common symptom of Haina's pollution is lead poisoning, which affects children's health and development. Kaul tested children near the auto battery recycling plant in Haina. When the plant closed in March 1997, 116 children were surveyed, and again in August 1997, 146 children were surveyed. Mean blood lead concentrations were 71 æg/dL (range: 9-234 æg/dL) in March and 32 æg/dL (range: 6-130 æg/dL) in August. The study revealed that at least 28% of the children required immediate treatment and that 5% had lead levels >79 æg/dL. Only 9% of these children were under the WHO recommended 9 æg/dL for maximum concentration. The children were also at risk for severe neurologic consequences at the time of the study.

Another study released by the Chemical Institute of Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) found lead levels in inhabitants over 100 parts per million (ppm), whereas "normal" levels in children are considered to be 10 ppm and for adults 20 ppm. Birth deformities, eye damage, learning and personality disorders, and in some cases, death from lead poisoning have also been reported at a higher than normal rate due to contamination caused by the past operations of the battery plant.

Notes

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Coordinates: 18°25′N 70°02′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

External links

• 10 Worst polluted places in the world