Coalition for a Cyanide Free Romania

Two video’s from Coalitia Romania Fara Cianuri!, the Coalition for a Cyanide Free Romania.
“Cianura cu care se obtine un (a ring) poate ucide 8000 de oameni.”
“The cyanide that is needed to make a golden ring can kill 8.000 people.”

The “Coalition for a Cyanide Free Romania” is a civil society initiative that was formed to support a legislative proposal to ban cyanide in mining in Romania. Its concerns are based on social, economic and environmental grounds. It consists of several environmental NGOs such as Greenpeace CEE, the Independent Centre for the Development of Environmental Resources, the Partnership Foundation, Terra Millennium III, Otus, Focus Eco Center, Sun Valley, Green Transylvania etc. This coalition supports the legislative proposal submitted to Romania’s parliament by Senators Peter Eckstein Kovacs (The Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania) and Gheorghe Funar (The Great Romania Party).

Cyanide mining is one of the dirtiest industries in the world. Among its long-term effects counts the pollution of water streams including ground water, the destruction of aquatic life and the poisoning of several mammal species. Chronic cyanide poisoning has a long-term impact on the reproduction and development of fish. A spoon-full of a 2% cyanide solution can be fatal to humans.Accidents and cyanide spills at mining operations occur each year around the globe. Seven years after the tragic cyanide spill at Baia Mare in Romania there still exists no effective binding regulations to prevent a fruther Baia-Mare spill; this both on a European or global level.

According to the coalition, Romania now has both the opportunity and the moral duty towards its citizens and its neighbouring countries to show the way forward and to put an end to the use of this hazardous technology.
In just a few weeks, Romanian legislators will be voting on a bill to ban cyanide in mining. Places as diverse as the U.S. state of Montana, Costa Rica, and the Czech Republic have enacted legislation banning cyanide in mining. The coalition ask to support the cyanide ban in mining in Romania.

The video’s could have make a lot better, but I like the theme of the campaign. This environmental issue isn’t as sexy as global warming.
The video shows two marriage proposals which didn’t succeed because of the golden wedding ring.
More information at the dedicated website in Romanian or English.

I posted about the use of cyanide in Romanian goldmines before, showing this campaign from Rosia Montana.

Thanks to Sebastian from the great blog Militaru for helping.