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A city in Peru is debating the reactivation of its foundry. With a population of 33,000 and an altitude of 3,750 metres, La Oroya is South America’s former smelting capital. It was also formerly one of the most polluted cities in the world. Closed in 2009, the metallurgic complex found new owners last year, when 1,270 former workers became shareholders. The new owners intend to reactivate the site in coming months. La Oroya’s residents are now divided between dreams of renewed prosperity and fears of a return to life in a massively polluted environment. Report by Juliette Chaignon and Guillaume Gosalbes.
This story originally appeared on France24
