Montenegro Advises Public to Avoid Bar Port Due to Heavy Metal Contamination

Authorities in Montenegro have issued a public warning urging people to steer clear of the country’s main seaport, located in the Adriatic coastal town of Bar, following revelations of toxic metal contamination. This announcement was made on Tuesday after tests conducted earlier in 2023 detected elevated concentrations of arsenic and lead in the industrial section of the port. Additionally, workers at a local company exhibited high levels of lead in their blood.

Long-term exposure to heavy metals such as lead and arsenic is known to pose various health risks, including cancer, skin lesions, heart disease, and kidney problems. The head of the national Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised citizens to avoid the area unless absolutely necessary. Milan Gadzic, the EPA director, informed national television that assessments by the Centre for Ecotoxicological Research indicated arsenic levels up to ten times above the acceptable limits, with significantly high concentrations of lead in the surroundings.

Furthermore, a routine health examination for employees working with hazardous materials at Port of Adria, the private company operating part of the port, revealed high lead levels in 58 out of 63 individuals tested, according to Zoran Martinovic of the Bar port workers’ union. This revelation prompted the maritime ministry to initiate an urgent investigation into the matter.

Martinovic remarked that this was the first instance in which the port workers underwent examinations at a private clinic, capable of testing for lead or arsenic poisoning. “Who knows what might have occurred had the check-ups been delayed by a year,” he expressed to the media.

Despite the scare, the health ministry sought to downplay the situation, asserting that the detected lead levels were within acceptable limits, taking into account the nature of the workers’ jobs and exposure. However, it did not disclose the specific concentrations. The ministry stated that those affected would receive further medical evaluations at a clinic in Podgorica, the nation’s capital, to eliminate any uncertainties, with treatment provided if necessary.

The first group of employees has already been admitted for examinations. Port of Adria, a facility handling container ships, cargo vessels, and cruise liners, is predominantly managed by Turkey’s Global Port Holdings.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported this news, clarifying that the Barron’s news department did not participate in its production.