For 92 years, the lead and copper mines outside Kabwe, Zambia, ran with
little or no environmental protections. It’s been more than a decade
since the smelters shut down, and the lead level found in the average
child, who bathes in a lead-contaminated stream and is constantly
exposed to contaminated soil, is still five to 10 times the maximum
allowed by the U.S. EPA. In many cases, children carry almost fatal
levels of contamination. So far, the World Bank has provided $40
million to help relocate some neighborhoods in Kabwe, and several other
international and local groups are implementing extensive programs to
teach residents about lead poisoning.
Source: PopSci