Brazil Can't Clean Up Its Shit in Time for the Olympics
Despite promises to clean the Rio de Janeiro bay in time for the 2016 Olympics, mayor Eduardo Paes was forced to admit this week that some of the athletes are just going to have to deal with competing in the raw sewage expelled by a large, poorly managed city.
Although Paes offered assertions that the athletes will only compete "in the cleanest part of the bay," researchers reportedly found traces of deadly enzymes in the water last year. And, via the AP:
A helicopter ride Monday organized by biologist and environmental activist Mario Moscatelli illustrated the extent of the problem, revealing household trash floating throughout the entire bay, including within lanes for the Olympic sailing competition.
Heavy rains in Rio over the weekend exacerbated the problem. Each time the tropical city sees heavy rains, the amount of raw sewage emanating from the city's more than 1,000 "favela" slums spikes and huge amounts of trash are flushed off the streets and into area waterways.
"I think it's a shame," Paes reportedly told SporTV.
[images via AP]
