COMMUNITY HEALTH DISORDERS IN MERCURY-CONTAMINATED AREA IN VLORA, ALBANIA

Vlora city is situated in the Bay of Vlore in Albania southwest which represents the natural border between the waters of the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea. The Bay of Vlora presents attractive coastal areas of Albania, with a great potential for tourism. From the year 1967-1994,4 km distance from the city has developed manufacture of soda by Solvay activity and production of chlorine and polyvinyl chloride. The technology, applied in the chemical plant, has been characterised by a very high loss of mercury as the products both in discharges of liquid and its solid. Liquid residues are directly discharged into the sea. Solid wastes are deposited in the open area, and shoreline during the entire territory of the former plant buildings. This plant, after its closure in 1994, is populated and has created a community of 130 families in its former buildings.