The air in this gritty industrial town is relatively clean for the first time in decades, but not because long-standing pollution problems are solved. The reason, rather, is that the lead, zinc and copper smelter dominating La Oroya’s skyline and economy is shut down. Doe Run Peru, a subsidiary of the New York-based Renco Group, suspended operations on June 2. It blamed the move on financial woes, but critics say the company is merely trying to dodge its environmental obligations. In La Oroya, where some 3,500 workers are on Doe Run’s payroll and many local service providers depend on the smelter for business, the company’s future is uncertain and tension is high. Protestors blocked Peru’s Central Highway for several days last month to... [Log in to read more]