Skip to main content Scroll Top

Lead Exposure and Environmental Health

La Oroya, Peru

A Community Shaped by Industry

La Oroya, Peru, is home to Doe Run Peru (DRP), the country’s largest lead smelter. For decades, residents—especially children—have borne the brunt of environmental contamination from smelting operations. The community’s struggle has drawn attention from Peruvian authorities, international health agencies, and environmental advocates.

Monitoring of children’s blood lead levels (BLLs) began in the late 1990s, revealing alarming results. In 1999, a study of 346 children aged 2–10 showed BLLs ranging from 6.9 to 79.9 µg/dL (micrograms per deciliter), with an average of 33.6 µg/dL—far exceeding international health standards. Some school zones near the smelter had average levels as high as 55 µg/dL, with exposure closely tied to proximity to the facility.

Despite years of monitoring and concern, BLLs remained high. A 2004–2005 investigation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that among 30 children studied, average BLLs had risen to 41.8 µg/dL.

Industry Response and Intervention​

In response to growing concern, DRP launched a series of interventions in 2007. These efforts aimed to reduce lead exposure in both the environment and residents.

Street cleaning operations​

Food supplementation programs

Smelter emissions controls

Community health initiatives

Doe Run Smelter, La Oroya, Peru - Environmental Health
Doe Run Mining Facility, La Oroya, Peru - environmental health Doe Run Mining Facility
peru-smelter-worker-environmental-health Doe Run Smelter worker
Dust abatement in La Oroya, Peru - environmental health Dust suppression in La Oroya
Dust suppression in La Oroya, Peru - environmental health Dust suppression in La Oroya

TIFO’s Independent Assessment

In 2008, DRP invited TerraGraphics International Foundation (TIFO) to conduct an independent review of these efforts. The goal was to evaluate the impact of emissions reduction and public health programs and provide guidance to the Peruvian government. TIFO’s team:

Reviewed available reports and air quality data

Collected environmental samples

Met with local NGOs, government officials, health authorities, DRP representatives, and community leaders

The findings were cautiously optimistic: Blood lead levels and airborne lead concentrations had decreased. However, the team was unable to determine which specific interventions led to these improvements. The reductions could have resulted from:

Improved smelter emissions and sanitary controls

Dust suppression in the community

Housing and hygiene improvements

Medical interventions and community health programming

Persistent Challenges and Legacy Contamination

Despite progress, significant concerns remained:

The topography, weather patterns, and poverty in La Oroya create complex exposure pathways.

Many families live in close proximity to the smelting complex, increasing their vulnerability.

Legacy contamination from past smelting operations remains embedded in the environment—particularly in soils and homes.

Many of the pollution control measures in place were temporary, raising questions about long-term sustainability.

The TIFO team concluded that while the observed programs were beneficial, they would not reduce BLLs to safe levels on their own. The report urged:

Sustained and permanent pollution control efforts

Comprehensive environmental remediation

Ongoing biological and environmental monitoring

Looking Forward

La Oroya remains a powerful example of the challenges in balancing industrial activity with public health—particularly for vulnerable communities. While partners have made progress, securing a healthier future for the children of La Oroya will require continued oversight, sustained investment, and community-centered action.