Browsing by Author "Mena-Carrasco, Marcelo"

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    Environmental signature and health risk assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) emitted from a landfill fire in Santiago de Chile
    (2023) Pozo, Karla; Oyola, Germán; Jorquera, Hector; Gomez, Victoria; Galbán-Malagón, Cristobal; Mena-Carrasco, Marcelo; Audy, Ondřej; Příbylová, Petra; Guida, Yago; Estellano, Victor Hugo; Lammel, Gerhard; Klánová, Jana; CEDEUS (Chile)
    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants in building materials, electronics, furnishings, vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams, and textiles for many years. Currently, the primary commercial mixtures, penta-, octa-, and deca-BDE, are globally restricted. Still, products containing PBDEs are expected to impact waste management and the environment for many years. In January 2016, an open fire in the Santa Marta landfill close to Santiago de Chile affected the city and surroundings. The fire caused several acute health effects and an increase in emergency hospitalizations. We measured PBDE levels in the areas affected by the fire in the air (gaseous and particulate) and soil, and PBDE emissions were estimated using a dispersion model. The results showed an increase in PBDE concentrations by a factor of 2–4 one day after the start of the fire. However, PBDE concentrations measured after the fire in PM10 and the gas phase were considered low compared to other regions. Interestingly, PBDEs’ patterns differed across the sites; however, BDE209 was the dominant congener for all environmental matrices. A preliminary risk assessment was conducted using the daily exposure dose (DED) by air inhalation estimation. The results showed low DED values for adults and children and suggested no direct health risk due to PBDE exposure. This study brings new data useful for future solid waste management initiatives in the country
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    Social-environmental conflicts in Chile: Is there any potential for an ecological constitution?
    (MDPI, 2021) Berasaluce, Maite; Diaz-Siefer, Pablo; Rodríguez-Diaz, Paulina; Mena-Carrasco, Marcelo; Ibarra Eliessetch, José Tomás; Celis-Diez, Juan L.; Mondaca, Pedro
    © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Social unrest is on the rise worldwide amid deepening inequalities, environmental degradation, and job crises worsened by increasing social-environmental conflicts. In Chile, a social revolt in 2019 resulted in a national referendum in 2020. An ample majority (78.3% vs. 21.7%) voted to draft a new constitution to replace the current constitution drawn up under dictatorship. The result led to the emergence and empowerment of several organizations demanding an “ecological constitution”. In this context, we aim to analyze: (1) the main social-environmental conflicts in Chile and how they are related to the country’s current constitution, and (2) the potential drafting of an ecological constitution that addresses these conflicts. Across different industries in Chile, we observed common problems that are intrinsically related to the current constitution. This relationship seems to be perceived by Chilean citizens since a survey carried out in May 2021 found 79% support for an ecological constitution. Moreover, 105 of the 155 delegates to the constitutional convention proposed three or more environmental principles to be included in the new constitution. A potential ecological constitution entails principles that would improve the current situation of social-environmental conflicts in Chile. Based on our analysis, we recommend the establishment of watershed-based “territorial rights” in the new Chilean constitution to improve sustainability and environmental justice.