As would be the case after any natural disaster, water-borne illness could run rampant and chemicals and oil could leak out of damaged storage facilities as a result of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that ripped apart Haiti on Jan. 12. Surprisingly, no large industrial spills have been found during initial postquake rescue efforts, but of course the focus has been on saving human lives and restoring civil order.
According to the United Nations Environment Programe (UNEP), the biggest issue is the building waste; some 40 percent to 50 percent of the buildings fell in Port-au-Prince and nearby towns. “Thousands of buildings suddenly become debris and this overwhelms the capacity of waste management,” says UNEP’s Muralee Thummarukudy, who is directing
According to the United Nations Environment Programe (UNEP), the biggest issue is the building waste; some 40 percent to 50 percent of the buildings fell in Port-au-Prince and nearby towns. “Thousands of buildings suddenly become debris and this overwhelms the capacity of waste management,” says UNEP’s Muralee Thummarukudy, who is directing