Cancer in Huelva?

Virginie Conceicao Written 14 years ago

Hi !!
I\'d like to go to Huelva in September (Erasmus) but I heard that this city had a high rate of mortality (cancer due to the chemical factories and high rate of radioactive radiations) consequently, I\'m a bit afraid to go there even if this city really looks really pleasant...

Javier López Written 14 years ago

It's the first time in all my life that I heard this.

Virginie Conceicao Written 14 years ago

Really? Though it is true, you can check on various websites, here's one : http://soyplastic.net/huelva-moriras-de-cancer and here's a part of an article I found in Wikipédia :

A consecuencia de las actividades de Fertiberia, y en menor medida de FMC Foret, otras 1.200 ha son ocupadas de manera indirecta por el Polo Químico. Son las balsas de fosfoyesos, que están situadas a unos 300 metros de la barriada de Pérez Cubillas de Huelva, a un kilómetro del centro urbano de la capital. Greenpeace establece que el índice de cáncer en Huelva es el más elevado de España[65] y recientemente denunció que las balsas de fosfoyesos emiten radiación 27 veces por encima de lo permitido.[66] Existe una plataforma ciudadana denominada la "Mesa de la Ría", la cual hace patente su preocupación por los efectos negativos del Polo Químico, tanto en el medio ambiente, como en la salud de los onubenses. Dicha plataforma ha realizado, sin éxito, varias reivindicaciones tanto al ayuntamiento como a diferentes instituciones públicas.

But you can check by yourself on the internet and find things easily..
That's what terrify me... :-/
What do you think of that?

Javier López Written 14 years ago

I think that like always, it has a portion of true information and a portion of exaggeration.

I think the odds of you getting cancer for staying one year in Huelva are more or less the same that if you stay in Belgium, but I don't now the future :)

I think the alcohol you will drink because being an Erasmus will be definitely harder for you than any real or imaginary radiation :)

You know what? TO LIVE, KILLS YOU. Every day you live, you dye a little. Do you understand me?

Of course there are things that grows the probability of you having a disease: dangerous sexual habits, fast food, to smoke, to drink... to live in Chernobyl... but I think that one year in Hueval doesn't grow your probability of having cancer more that alcohol or other things does... but like I said again, I don't now the future.

Is your decision, and if you are going to go and you are going to think all the time about this, I think is not going to be a pleasure time for you.

Good luck with your decision!

Javier López Written 14 years ago

Ah! I'm not from Hueva, I have never been there! I'm from Murcia. But I have some family, in Huelva, and I didn't know anything about this. I think isn't something popular in Spain this information.

Virginie Conceicao Written 14 years ago

Thank you very much for you anwer :D
I think you are completely right, my drinking habits as a future Erasmus would be as dangerous as any radiation !!
Moreover the air by the Ocean will surely be better than here in Belgium :)

Just a question, if you have family in Huelva, have you ever visited this city? Is it a nice place for an erasmus ?
Thanks !!

Javier López Written 14 years ago

No sorry! I've never been there! But there are some Erasmusu users from Huelva... maybe you can add them as friends and ask theme: http://www.erasmusu.com/es/city/3816/people

And here you have some photos: http://www.erasmusu.com/es/city/3816/photos

Juanma Tinoco Written 14 years ago

Hi Virginie, im from Huelva, Punta Umbria exactly (you will know this beach if you come).

You are gonna stay one year and in the city, not in the chemical part.

Is true that there is more % of mortality by cancer, but in the people who work in the chemical factories, that means in the people who spent all their lives exposing everyday in the main factories.
So dont be afraid, actually Huelva is not affected so much by the smokes, the wind currents from the sea blow them in other directions.

If you have any other question about Huelva or surroundings ask me ;)

Juanma

Ángel Fernández Written 14 years ago

Virginie i was born in Huelva and I have been living here during almost 25 years, all my life. I have a very good health, my family have a very good health, my friends also have a very good health...people in Huelva are not dying for the street due to the fact that we have a chemical pole relatively near. Greenpeace and other organizations are culprits of this bad campaign against Huelva. We have a problem with "las balsas de fosfoyesos" that you have read, but many people have exagerated.

You are going to enjoy a very good year because people in Huelva are very nice and you will have lots of new friends...enjoy the beaches, the sun and, above all, parties! In this time, I will enjoy my Erasmus in Prague! Have a great year in Huelva!Bye!

Andrés Delgado Written 13 years ago

Hello Virginie, I was born in Huelva and I am really impressed about what people say about the pollution that we suffer every day in our city, Huelva. All that you have read it is true, there is no reason to lie about this matter and many reasons to hide facts and information about the pollution. As you will have discovered "onubenses" can be very nice, funny,etc but we have a weakness which is that we don't complain about anything and we don't fight for our city to make it more beautiful. Moreover, the city is small, maybe if you spend more than one year there you will find it bored, but I think to live an Erasmus experience is ok. The city is not beautiful at all, the province yes, their beaches and landscape are awesome to my mind. There are many cities with a better nightlife however in spite of being a small city with a small university, there are many Erasmus students (800 a year) so I am sure that you will enjoy there

Emilio Nicolás Written 14 years ago

I agree with what Juanma says.