Cubatão
Cubatão is a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, 12 kilometers away from Santos seaport, the largest in Latin America. It is part of the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista. The population is 131,626 (2020 est.) in an area of 142.88 km2. It hosts industries, refining oil, steel mills and fertilizers.
Cubatão | |
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Aerial view of Cubatão | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Location of Cubatão | |
Cubatão Location in Brazil | |
| Coordinates: 23°53′43″S 46°25′32″W | |
| Country | Brazil |
| Region | Southeast |
| State | São Paulo |
| Metropolitan Region | Baixada Santista |
| Founded | 9 April 1833 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ademário da Silva Oliveira (PSDB) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 142.88 km2 (55.17 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Population (2020 ) | |
| • Total | 131,626 |
| • Density | 920/km2 (2,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (BRT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-2 (BRST) |
| HDI (2000) | 0,772 – medium |
| Website | Cubatão |
In the early 1980s, Cubatão was one of the most polluted cities in the world, nicknamed "Valley of Death", due to births of brainless children and respiratory, hepatic and blood illnesses. High air pollution was killing forest over hills around the city. It was ranked the top ten dirtiest cities in the world by Popular Science.
Around 0:00 BRT (3:00 GMT) on Saturday, 25 February 1984, an oil spill set the shantytown Vila Socó on fire, killing 93 people according to official figures of the government, though the actual death toll may be more than 200. The contamination of workers with persistent organic pollutants put the now defunct Rhodia into Greenpeace's top 10 world's worst corporate crimes ever in its report to Rio Summit in 1992.
Strong efforts were made to diminish pollution in the city, costing US$ 1.2 billion so far. Although things have improved a lot, it is impossible to completely clean the soil and groundwater and while many large industries continue to work in such a small area, there will always be some pollution.