Behind the beautiful panorama of Mount Ijen, with one of the world's largest craters, in Bondowoso, East Java, lies a health hazard to the surrounding community.At least 50,000 people live in an area threatened by acidic water from the crater lake permeating through their wells. Badawi, 45, a sulfur miner at the crater -- better known as Kawah Ijen -- savored a cup of coffee at a food stall in Paltuding village, Bondowoso regency, before setting off to work. Beside his coffee cup stood a bottle of water from a well to drink on the 4-kilometer hike to collect sulfur from the crater. "People say the well water is toxic because of acid from the lake. But most residents, including myself, don't care about the effects of the water,as we have so far remained healthy," he told The Jakarta Post recently.Badawi from Bulusan village, Kalipuro district, Banyuwangi regency, has lived in a sulfur workers camp in Paltuding for five years, together with hundreds of sulfur miners.Research conducted by Soegijapranata Catholic University, Semarang, Central Java, in 2007 showed that acid water in the crater lake had infiltrated and contaminated surrounding rivers and wells. As a result, local people were affected by tooth decay and bone degeneration, while agricultural production was reduced.
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