Brief History of La Oroya, Peru

The history of the degradation of La Oroya's environment began in 1922 with the introduction of a metallurgic complex belonging to the U.S. Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation.

In time, lead and zinc circuits were added to the complex, as well as smelting and refining processes for the production of these and other metals. The complex was nationalized by Peru's military government in 1974, and then privatized once again in 1997. It was at this point that Doe Run, a St. Louis-based corporation, bought the La Oroya complex.
The Doe Run Company is self-described as "an international natural resource company focused on the mining, smelting, recycling and fabrication of metals" with facilities in Missouri, Washington, Arizona, and Peru. Doe Run's smelters are "some of the largest and most productive facilities in the world, transforming mineral concentrates into usable metals and alloys. These products, in turn, are used in radiation shielding, car batteries, TV screens, and more." Doe Run's clients have included Ford Motor Co., the City of St. Louis, Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., and McCormack Baron & Associates.

Although Doe Run did not start the contamination in La Oroya, the company has certainly contributed to the problem that it inherited. Today, the Doe Run smelter emits about 1,000 tons of toxic pollution into the community daily. The company has largely delayed major actions that would clean up and/or significantly lessen the pollution, and the Peruvian national government has been more than lenient with the corporation. One of the most odious instances of this negligence came after Doe Run's attempt to postpone their environmental responsibilities "due to financial hardship," even though the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission showed that the company sent $130 million in "commissions and consulting fees" back to its headquarters in St. Louis.

Today, Doe Run employs 3,000 workers in La Oroya. The corporation has become a part of the community, and it does not look like that will change anytime soon. Most people living in La Oroya would agree that the creation of jobs in the town is a good thing. No one, however, is singing the praises of the avalanche of environmental and health problems that cascade from the industrial complex.

-excerpt from "Hope in La Oroya" by Jason Woods