Every day, toxic waste from
the United States crosses into Mexico, bringing illness, suffering,
and death to children and families who live near
processing plants.
This
devastating contamination comes from U.S. steel
manufacturers. These manufacturers export
a byproduct, hazardous steel dust, to
Mexico to avoid paying for safer disposal. The deadly
dust is sent to a Monterrey-area plant. There, a company
called Zinc Nacional profits by extracting valuable zinc
from the dust — but in the process, its
factories emit deadly pollutants into the surrounding
community.
Recent
testing in northern Mexico revealed window sills in
nearby homes that were coated with lead levels
630 times higher than U.S. safety
thresholds. Lead is a neurotoxin,
meaning it damages the brain and nervous system. The
tests also found cadmium and arsenic at levels that
cause cancer and lifelong health problems.
This
crisis isn't just a tragedy — it's a glaring
injustice. The United States has strict protections
against this kind of pollution on its own soil,
yet it allows steel companies to ship their toxic waste
to Mexico, leaving families to bear the cost with their
health and lives.
Sign the petition to
demand that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) ban the dangerous export of hazardous waste, and
that the U.S. and Mexican governments enforce stricter
regulations and oversight of cross-border waste exports
to prevent further harm.
