Leaked documents seen by the Guardian suggest a source of drinking water close to a $1bn (£800m) mining project owned by the Indonesia-based Harita Group on remote Obi Island, was contaminated with unsafe levels of hexavalent chromium (Cr6), the cancer-causing chemical more widely known for its role in the Erin Brockovich story and film.

Cr6 can cause liver damage, reproductive problems and developmental harm when ingested or inhaled. Long-term exposure through drinking water has also been linked to stomach cancer. Evidence has shown that Cr6 in drinking water can be a result of industrial processes.

  • Wahots@pawb.social
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    8 hours ago

    They are dumping hexavalent chromium into the ocean too :|

    That is going to poison the environment and all sorts of seafood. You do not want to ingest that form of chromium at all.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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      6 minutes ago

      everything except jellyfish, which are blooming all over the world despites whats happening.

  • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.funami.tech
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    13 hours ago

    Don’t see what the point of mentioning Erin is here; it’s not like most people would remember it was hexavalent chromium.

    • HobbitFoot
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      10 hours ago

      They mentioned her because people probably remember what the chemical did and major settlement from the pollution as to why this chemical release is so important.

      • sensiblepuffin@lemmy.funami.tech
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        8 hours ago

        Yes, I’m aware, I’m just pointing out that you can have watched the movie/followed the story and not known what the substance was.

        • HobbitFoot
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          4 hours ago

          That might be true of you, but that likely isn’t true for a lot of people. I can see a lot of people blanking out over the chemical that have everyone cancer in that movie.

        • GreenKnight23@lemmy.world
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          5 hours ago

          I didn’t know what the substance was but I know who Erin is.

          I’m not even sure what you’re arguing for or against here, do you?