LEAD IN BLOOD OF OVER 100 CITIZENS OF VAREŠ

VAREŠ, FEBRUARY 6 /SRNA/ - The health of Vareš residents is seriously at risk after recent testing revealed the presence of lead in the blood of over 100 citizens, including children, turning this widespread heavy metal poisoning into one of the most severe public health crises in BiH’s recent history, the Fojničani Citizens' Association said in a press release.

According to the test results released this week, lead was detected in the blood not only of residents of the Pržići and Daštansko neighborhoods, which are located near the DPM Metali mine's waste site, but also in citizens living in the very center of Vareš. The statement points out that the latest findings show that some of the subjects tested had extremely high concentrations of lead, exceeding reference values, which, according to experts, requires special medical attention. The Zenica Institute for Health and Food Safety emphasizes that the presence of lead in the blood represents an extremely complex health problem, given that the human body has no physiological need for this heavy metal, and modern medicine maintains that there is no safe level of lead in the body. The Association reminds that previous testing, conducted in December of last year, showed the presence of lead in the blood of all 44 individuals tested across different age groups, with 17 of them exceeding the threshold levels. Subsequently, an additional nine individuals were tested privately, and their results further confirmed the alarming findings. Particular concern arises from the fact that lead was also detected in the blood of five children under the age of six. The statement adds that further concern was raised by the information that, just before the release of the new results on lead poisoning, the company DPM Metali submitted a request to the Government of the Zenica-Doboj Canton to increase its concession fee. "Acting Mayor of Vareš Malik Rizvanović stated that the initiative was officially submitted to the Ministry of Economy of the Zenica-Doboj Canton and that the concession fee will be increased in the coming months, with an agreement that, after signing the new contract, the fee will be paid retroactively from January 1, 2026," the Association reminded. Residents of the Pržići and Daštansko neighborhoods have stated that, at a time when the lives and health of citizens are seriously at risk, it is highly inappropriate to be discussing concession fees, emphasizing that human health is priceless. They also point to provisions of the Federation of BiH Mining Law, which require the competent federal ministry to revoke permits for the exploitation of mineral resources if mining operations endanger the lives and health of employees or other citizens, and if other legally prescribed measures are insufficient to prevent such risks. The press release emphasizes that the authorities of the Zenica-Doboj Canton and the Federation of BiH have so far not provided a clear response to the situation in Vareš, even though, according to residents and some experts, the conditions for declaring a state of emergency have long been met. "It is also unclear whether the Zenica-Doboj Canton Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the lead poisoning. Despite opposition from local communities and civil society organizations, the competent cantonal authorities continue to support new, potentially hazardous mining projects in Vareš, including the planned chromium mining in the Krivaja river basin," Fojničani Citizens' Association stated.