iNDonesia
The World’s Dirtiest River | Unreported Word
Unreported World journalist, Seyi Rhodes, investigatives the Citarum river in Java, Indonesia. This river is known for being the world’s most polluted river. The lack of enforcement from government officials have allowed the continuum of both the littering of household refuse from locals and the pollution of chemical waste water by nearby textile manufacturing factories.
For locals the Citarum river is an important source for agriculture, fishing, drinking water, and household water usages such as baths. The pollution of the Citarum river not only drastically decreased its fish population, but also compromised the health of locals skin infections among the locals, as well as contaminated wells.
India
Toxic Tanneries Poisoning Workers in Bangladesh
VICE News correspondent Tania Rashid reports on the tannery district in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s leather industry brings in around a billion dollars a year and helps meet some of the world’s demands for leather products. However, those working at these leather tanneries are highly exposed to toxic chemicals and experience horrendous working conditions. Further, these leather tanneries pollute nearby waterways that are essential for the lives of the locals.
mongolia
Dying to Breathe: Mongolia’s Polluted Air | Unreported World
This Unreported World documentary investigates the implications of polluted air in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. During cold winter months, households in Ulaanbaatar burn coal to keep warm. However, as a collective these households accumulate dangerous levels of particulate matter 2.5 in their atmosphere. Locals suffer from many respiratory issues, young children being the most vulnerable. In Mongolia, respiratory inflections are the number one killer for children under 5.
