San Juan, Jul 23 (EFE).- The Puerto Rican Surgeons' College (CMCPR)* on Tuesday warned about the adverse health and environmental effects for the island and the entire Caribbean region of a proposed incinerator that would process 840,000 tons of trash annually.
The proposed incinerator, which would be the largest in the world, would cost $ 400 million to build and would be located in Puerto Rico's southern Caguas province.
It would be constructed by the Caribe Waste Technologies company, which would use state-of-the-art technology from the Switzerland's Thermoselect firm.
CMCPR environmental health committee president Carmen Ortiz said the emissions from the plant could cause cancer, anemia and kidney disease, as well as spontaneous abortions.
Furthermore, the incinerator's output would also affect the Dominican Republic and the rest of the Caribbean because pollutants would be carried and spread by winds, she noted.
"The pollution will not remain in Caguas. It could affect an area more than 320 kilometers (200 miles) in radius surrounding the incinerator," she added.
* Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos de Puerto Rico CMCPR)
(College of Physicians and Surgeons of Puerto Rico)
source: http://www.efenews.com/principal.asp
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