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Allen's avatar

It is becoming increasingly evident that the Dutch bird-watching couple were exposed to highly toxic fumes (copper/mercury poisoning) from the landfill in Ushuaia, Argentina. Scrap collectors burn the plastic insulation off copper cables at this landfill to scavenge the valuable metal beneath.

The Dutch couple got off the cruise ship to visit a landfill in Ushuaia that is known to attract the White-bellied Seedsnipe and the rare Darwin's Caracara.

Toxic threats from this site are long known among residents with burning rubbish, particularly cables for copper extraction, producing smoke that "burns the throat."

The smoke from burning copper cables is particularly dangerous because it often contains hydrogen chloride from PVC insulation, which creates an acid in the lungs that directly causes chemical burns and fluid buildup and nitrogen oxides which are known to cause delayed pulmonary edema that can "drown" a person several hours or even days after they leave the smoke.

Burning and other scavenging activities at the Ushuaia landfill also stir up dust and smoke and additional toxic vapors are released. This is a regular feature of this landfill and locals (except those who scavenge for survival) know to avoid the place. Local community groups like "Let’s Clean Ushuaia" have highlighted hazardous waste disposal and environmental neglect in the region.

Burning electronic waste is a common practice at this scarcely regulated landfill and this releases dangerous toxins, including mercury vapor, lead, and cadmium. Inhaling these vapors can cause "metal-fume fever," which has similar symptoms to what they are calling "hantavirus."

A side note: The cruise ship MV Hondius is named after famous Dutch cartographer Jodocus Hondius. The ship was christened for its maiden voyage on June 2, 2019, in Vlissingen, Netherlands by Elizabeth Hondius. This ceremony makes her the ship's "godmother."

Who is Elizabth Hondius? She is legal counsel for MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) and was involved with Gardasil, Merck's vaccine for preventing cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Her association with the company involves management and legal oversight, particularly in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

John Brophy's avatar

Why ship all these passengers back to their home countries and then hype up the risk of local lockdowns? All with the personal stamp of approval of Tedros who is overseeing the evacuations and saying he is «concerned about their mental health». So the mental health of millions of traumatized media viewers is not an issue? No, that’s the point. France’s Prime Minister announced he would hold 2 daily hantavirus crisis meetings and we will soon see daily briefings to the public. France has 1 case of hantavirus.

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