A man looks down over a pile of garbage along the banks of the Riachuelo River near Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 2, 2009.
An estimated 15,000 industries actively release effluent into the Matanza-Riachuelo river basin, which runs through the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires. A 2008 study found that soil on the banks of the river contained levels of zinc, lead, copper, nickel and chromium that were all above recommended values. About 60% of the 20,000 people who reside near the river basin live in territory that has been deemed unsuitable for human habitation, leading to higher levels of diarrheal diseases, respiratory illnesses and cancer. It doesn’t help that residents have few sources of drinking water, leaving them dependent on the polluted river. The problem is improving, however, thanks in part to a billion-dollar World Bank-funded effort.