南非煤炭地区有世界最糟糕的空气

Patrick Mdluli considered himself to be a healthy person for most of his life.

帕特里克·姆杜鲁里(Patrick Mdluli)认为自己一生中大部分的时间里都很健康。

Then, two years ago, the 35-year-old South African moved to Middleburg, a town in Mpumalanga province. The area is known as the center of South Africa’s coal mining industry.

然后在两年前，这位35岁的南非人搬到了姆普马兰加省的米德尔堡镇，这里被称为南非煤炭开采业的中心。

Mdluli soon began developing health problems, including tuberculosis 1 and disorders 2 related to his nose.

姆杜鲁里很快就开始出现健康问题，包括结核病以及与鼻腔相关的疾病。

“You go to doctors, they tell you the very same thing. ’Are you living next to a mine?’ Yes, I am. ‘Are you living next to a dumping site?’ Yes, I am.”

他说：“当你去看医生时，医生说的都一样。‘你住在矿井旁吗？’是的。‘你住在卸料场附近吗？’是的。”

In fact, a large coal mine operates right behind Mdluli’s home. Mine workers set off explosives every day. The explosions shake his home and fill its rooms with dust.

实际上，姆杜鲁里房子后面就是一家大型煤矿。矿工们每天都会引爆炸药，爆炸震动着他的房子，也让屋里充满了灰尘。

Today, Mpumalanga province has some of the most polluted air in the world. That claim comes from the environmental group Greenpeace. Using satellite images, the group found that Mpumalanga is the world’s worst “hot spot” for nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant 3 that comes from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal.

如今，姆普马兰加省的空气污染在全球最为严重。这一说法出自绿色和平环保组织。该组织利用卫星图像发现，姆普马兰加省是全球二氧化氮最为严重的热点区域。二氧化氮是煤炭之类的化石燃料的燃烧产物。

The area in and around Middleburg has 12 large coal mines. Mdluli and others living in this part of South Africa say cracks are forming in the walls of their homes because of the powerful, never-ending mining blasts.

米德尔堡及其周边地区有12家大型煤矿。姆杜鲁里以及其他生活在该地区的人士表示，由于力量强大、永不停歇的采矿爆炸，他们家中的墙壁开始形成裂缝。

But it is their health that suffers most, says Doctor Mohammed Tayob. He leads a local public health center.

但是负责当地公共卫生中心的穆罕默德·塔博医生（Mohammed Tayob）称，他们的健康受到的影响最大。

Tayob has lived in the area all of his life. He says many new mines have opened there as the nation seeks to profit from coal exports. Now, the area has a higher death rate for young children than other areas. Among adults, it has higher rates for heart attacks and diseases that affect breathing, the doctor said.

塔博医生一直住在这里。他说，随着国家谋求从煤炭出口中获利，那里已经开办了很多新的煤矿。现在，该地区的幼儿死亡率高于其它地区。在成年人中，心脏病和影响呼吸的疾病的发病率也较高。

While the mines profit, many locals suffer

煤矿受益，当地人遭殃

Although the mines bring in money, locals say the coal companies have done little to improve the lives of community members. Middleburg is a poor town. Many people living there lack services like electricity and running water.

当地人表示，虽然煤矿带来了资金，煤炭公司在改善社区成员生活方面为之甚少。米德尔堡是一个贫困的城镇，许多当地居民都缺乏电力和自来水等服务。

Tayob blames the coal mining industry and poor governance for the current situation. He says the government has failed to enforce environmental laws related to mining.

塔博医生将现状归咎于煤炭开采业和政府管理不善。他说，政府未能执行与采矿相关的环境法律。

“One cannot be faulted in thinking, ‘Is there some level of corruption 4 operating in this area as well, where these big boys are getting away with murder, literally 5?’ They're literally getting away with murder.”

他说：“人们不能错误地思考。‘这个领域是否存在某种程度的腐败行为？这些大佬们如何逃脱谋杀制裁？’他们真的逃脱了谋杀的制裁。”

VOA reporters contacted three of the larger mines in the area. None answered a request for comment.

美国之音记者联系了该地区三家较大的煤矿，他们都不予置评。

Environmental activist 6 Bafana Hlatshwayo says he and other activists 7 are preparing to appeal to decision-makers at a mining industry gathering 8 in Cape 9 Town. And he wants to bring attention to another of the area’s resources: sunshine.

环保人士Bafana Hlatshwayo表示，他和其他活动人士正准备呼吁采矿业的决策者到开普敦开会。他还希望引起人们对该地区另一项阳光资源的注意。

Hlatshwayo hopes leaders consider bringing solar panel production to Mpumalanga, which means “the place where the sun rises” in the Zulu language.

Hlatshwayo希望领导人考虑将太阳能电池板产品引入到姆普马兰加省，该省的名称在祖鲁语中的意思就是“太阳升起的地方”。

“We are not saying we want to close down the mines. We must go the renewable energy way.”

他说：“我们不是说要关闭矿井，而是必须走可再生能源之路。”

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

dump - v. to leave or get rid of (something or someone) quickly or without concern

crack - n. a thin line in the surface of something that is broken but not separated into pieces

hot spot - n. a place where there is much danger or fighting

literally - adv. used to stress that a statement or description is true and accurate even though it may be surprising

solar panel - n. a large, flat piece of equipment that uses the sun's light or heat to create electricity