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CONTRIBUTION IN ORIGINAL LANGUAGE
It is estimated that 100 million people around the world rely on the dismantling of small businesses to support their families. This is 90% of gold miners worldwide, according to the Fairtrade Foundation. The problem: In small gold mines that are not fairly traded, miners rely on toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide that are harmful to human health and the environment - simply because they cannot afford safer processing methods.
This can lead to birth defects, brain and kidney damage in miners and pollute the water supply and poison fish. According to Fairtrade, gold mining on a small scale is the largest source of mercury pollution in the air and water. Because of their poverty, small miners are also exploited by traders and rarely get a fair price, even if the world gold price rises, since they are usually offered below the market price. As a result, miners struggle to generate enough profit, making it difficult to invest in safer mining practices. Mining is also one of the worst forms of child labor.
Certified Fairtrade Gold means that small and artisans receive a guaranteed minimum price for their gold. An additional amount of money is provided for investments in education, medical care or environmental projects.
Where can you buy Fairtrade jewelry?
Picture: Pixabay
