Residents Demand Relocation From Lead-Tainted Area

MEXICO CITY —  Hundreds of residents of a northern Mexican neighborhood contaminated by a silver refinery blocked access to the company Saturday to protest a breakdown in negotiations to relocate their homes.

Between 200 and 300 people stood at three entrances at the Met-Mex Penoles plant in Torreon to keep out about 2,000 workers and shut down operations, community leader Maria Dolores Guillen said by telephone.

The protest proceeded peacefully, with no sign of police intervention, Guillen said.

There was no one available at Met-Mex Penoles’ offices in Mexico City on Saturday to comment, a security guard said.

Dozens of protesters initially set up roadblocks late Friday after hours of negotiations among residents, the government and plant officials broke down, Guillen said.

Children living near the plant in Torreon, 500 miles north of Mexico City, have been shown to have abnormally high levels of lead in their blood. Studies found that 85% of the children tested showed an average level of 29.9 micrograms of lead. Levels above 10 micrograms are considered unhealthy.

In May, the government announced a plan to evacuate a 20-block area surrounding the plant, demolish 393 homes and establish a $6-million fund to help sick children.