The region of Quintero-Puchuncaví is known by its residents and activists as one of the five Chile's "sacrifice zones" [1][42]. Namely, an area where pollution and contamination are so high, that nature and people living there have been squeezed out for the sake of economic development. "We call Quintero the Chilean Chernobyl" says Rodrigo Barría of Greenpeace Chile, because of the extensive contamination from industrial activity in the area [3]. Despite the authorities' lack of proactivity, scientific studies have shown the effects of pollution in the community's health, such as cancer risk [39]. Accumulation of heavy metals such as arsenic in water, air, and the soil has impacted sea products [22][16], while pollution from toxic substances –such as Metilcloroformo– which is banned abroad yet still used in Chile [9]. Local resources such as fish and other seafood are therefore poisoned. Fish has been shown to exceed the levels of arsenic thus local fisher cannot sell their products. These are locally consumed by the communities of Quintero-Puchuncaví (12). First claims started in the early 1970s after CODELCO's –The Chilean Corporation of Cooper– copper smelter pollution started to be perceived by surrounding communities. Farmers complained against the loss of production due to toxic substances in the air, water and, soil. Although some local mobilizations were carried out at that time, the Pinochet military government (1973-1990) repressed the local organization. In the following years, 20 different industrial facilities owned by 10 different national and international companies were built. This was, in fact, part of the Government's plan to drive production trough coal power plants, cement plants, thermal power, natural gas extraction, among other industrial facilities. With the return of democracy in 1990 and the enactment of the first environmental laws, civil society started to be organized around the ecological problem and environmental contamination, in particular health harms encompassing chronic illnesses and acute poisoning in children [4][13]. Local organizations such as "The Women of the Sacrificed Zones" [19] and Dunas de Ritoque were created and supported by other national and international EJOs such as Greenpeace. Episodes of violent targeting and strategies of fear such as the killing of environmental activists' pets have also been reported by some women of the Sacrifice Zone. Two of them left the country because of the same reason. In a background of constant pollution, some cases have particularly triggered social mobilization. The case of the 'Hombres Verdes' [10] – green men, slowly poisoned men whose skin becomes green due to the high levels of lead, arsenic, copper and other toxic elements in their bodies. Some of them died. Others suffered from severe physic and physical harms [10][11][45]. Also, the intoxication of the 'Escuela de la Greda' in 2011 [13], the corruption scandal in the construction of a thermoelectric plant in 2009 [6] or the oil spills in 2014 [47] lead to an increase in the mobilizations. In August and September 2018, two toxic air pollution incidents caused a public health crisis. More than 1,500 people received medical assistance because of harms linked to toxic substances [43]. Children are part of the population most affected in these episodes [4]. The Children's Ombudsman investigated the violation of their rights [46]. The legal actions taken by some civil society organizations achieved a ruling by the Supreme Court. The court recognized the lack of protection by the State of Chile and the violation of fundamental rights [2]. The court ordered to take different actions within a year, such as toxicology tests and monitoring of the population. Yet, the measures remain unfulfilled. During the Covid-19 outbreak in Chile (March-April 2020), dwellers and environmental organizations, including the Women of the Sacrifice Zones, asked to decrease the toxic emissions of the complex to reduce the health impacts on the community so community health centers can focus on the global pandemic. Other sacrifice zones in Chile are mapped in this EJAtlas: Isla Riesco, Mejillones and Huasco. (See less) |
This region has been the site of intensive industrial development over the last 50 years. Given the heavy contamination in the region, it is commonly referred to as a “sacrifice zone”.
The region of Quintero-Puchuncaví is known by its residents and activists as one of the five Chile's "sacrifice zones" [1][42]. Namely, an area where pollution and contamination are so high, that nature and people living there have been squeezed out for the sake of economic development. "We call Quintero the Chilean Chernobyl" says Rodrigo Barría of Greenpeace Chile, because of the extensive contamination from industrial activity in the area [3]. |
| Name of conflict: | Ventanas Industrial Complex, Chile |
| Country: | Chile |
| State or province: | V Region, Valparaíso |
| Location of conflict: | Quintero-Puchuncaví |
| Accuracy of location | HIGH (Local level) |
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Industrial and Utilities conflicts |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Chemical industries Other industries Thermal power plants Metal refineries Mineral processing Pollution related to transport (spills, dust, emissions) |
| Specific commodities: | Crude oil Asphalt Cement Electricity Natural Gas Chemical products Coal Fish Fruits and Vegetables Copper Gold |
| Project details | The complex has an installed capacity of 884MW. |
| Type of population | Urban |
| Affected Population: | 50,000 |
| Start of the conflict: | 1992 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Puerto Ventanas S.A (PVSA) from Chile - The company is the subject of lawsuits and investigations by government agencies as responsible for the stranding of coal on the beach of Ventanas. Oxiquim from Chile Cementos Melón from Chile - It contributes a large amount of particulate material, contributing to atmospheric saturation CODELCO from Chile AES Gener from Chile Empresa Nacional de Energía (ENEX) from Netherlands - The company is a client of some of the petrochemical ships that have caused oil spills in the bay Gasmar SA (Gasmar) from Chile GNL Quintero from Chile Compañía de Petróleos de Chile S.A (COPEC) ENEL GREEN POWER (ENEL) from Italy Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (ENAP) from Chile |
| Relevant government actors: | Superintendency of the environment (SMA), Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, el Ministerio de Salud, la Secretaría Regional Ministerial de Salud de Valparaíso, Oficina Nacional de Emergencia, Ministerio del Interior, Armada de Chile, Defensoría de la Niñez, Municipalidad de Puchuncaví, Municipalidad de Quintero, Instituto Nacional de Derechos Humanos |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Local ejos: Women of the Sacrifice Zone, Organización Dunas de Ritoque Supporters: Greenpeace Chile. Heinrich Böll Fundation. Fundación Oceana, Colegio Médico de Chile, Human Rights Watch, InterAmerican Association for Environmental Defense (Aida), Mesa Medioambiental de Quintero, Escuela de Salud Pública Salvador Allende |
| Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
| Reaction stage | Mobilization for reparations once impacts have been felt |
| Groups mobilizing: | Informal workers Local ejos Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Women Local scientists/professionals Fisher people |
| Forms of mobilization: | Artistic and creative actions (eg guerilla theatre, murals) Blockades Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..) Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Media based activism/alternative media Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Street protest/marches Appeals/recourse to economic valuation of the environment |
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Air pollution, Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Food insecurity (crop damage), Soil contamination, Oil spills, Noise pollution, Desertification/Drought, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil erosion, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion |
| Other Environmental impacts | Heavy metal contamination of soil, air, water and fishery resources |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…), Occupational disease and accidents, Deaths, Accidents, Other environmental related diseases, Other Health impacts |
| Other Health impacts | High rate of deficit in cognitive development; impact on respiratory diseases due to particulate matter, high cancer rates. |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors, Displacement, Increase in violence and crime, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Militarization and increased police presence, Violations of human rights, Loss of landscape/sense of place, Other socio-economic impacts, Social problems (alcoholism, prostitution, etc..), Specific impacts on women |
| Other socio-economic impacts | social problems: addiction to drugs; social division, loss of traditional economic systems of fishing and agriculture. |
| Project Status | In operation |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Corruption Criminalization of activists Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Migration/displacement Repression Strengthening of participation Violent targeting of activists Application of existing regulations |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | 1) Local environmental organisations have proposed the creation of an ecological zone in the Northern side of the Complex. It is one of the last natural spots that remain in the area. Their aim is to declare it as "Natural Sanctuary" to protect it from future projects and deploy different activities such as agriculture, environmental educations, and workshops for political and environmental training for new generations. Though, this has created a new conflict since the government has given permission for the construction of residential complexes in that area. 2) Popular monitoring of toxic substances. The local production of knowledge has been also used as an alternative. In specific cases, in fact, environmental studies carried out in Quintero Puchuncaví have been paid by the companies. Thus, people do not trust the levels of contamination these studies state, or on the toxic substances they mention. |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | No |
| Briefly explain: | Despite the courts were in favour of the EJ, this was more a moral victory since they did not accomplish the measure. Most of the measures included in the Environmental and Social Recovery Plan committed by the state in 2014 have not been implemented. None of the four thermoelectric plants has been closed with the Decarbonization Plan. New industrial projects continue to come in, such as the expansion of the Petcoke plant or desalination plants for mining. |
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| Other comments: | “At the end of the day, industry is being favoured over human health,”Florencia Ortúzar from the InterAmerican Association for Environmental Defense (Aida). The park was meant to be the engine of economic growth to launch Chile into the ranks of “developed” countries – an idea echoed by the West German minister of Economic Cooperation, Walter Scheel, who visited Quintero Bay during the construction of the copper processing plant: “Chile is not an underdeveloped country but a nation in full swing toward development,” he said at the time. But this development has come at any cost. |
| Contributor: | Efren Legaspi, from Quintero Puchuncaví and Grettel Navas (ENVJustice Project) |
| Last update | 30/03/2020 |
| Conflict ID: | 5006 |