Chinese-owned steel mill coats Serbian town in red dust; cancer spreads

A general view of Chinese-owned HBIS Serbia steel mill in the village of Radinac, as cancer rates have quadrupled in under a decade, near the city of Smederevo, Serbia, November 3, 2021. Picture taken November 3, 2021. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Zivadnika Arsic, a 86-year-old woman, stands in front of her once white house, now covered with the red dust from the Chinese-owned HBIS Serbia steel mill in the village of Radinac, as cancer rates have quadrupled in under a decade, near the city of...more

Ljilja Krstic stands in her yard with her animals next to the Chinese-owned HBIS Serbia steel mill, in the village of Radinac, as cancer rates have quadrupled in under a decade, near the city of Smederevo, Serbia, November 3, 2021. Picture taken...more

A woman walks along a street near the Chinese-owned HBIS Serbia steel mill, in the village of Ralja, as cancer rates have quadrupled in under a decade, near the city of Smederevo, Serbia, November 3, 2021. Picture taken November 3, 2021....more

A man walks along a street near the Chinese-owned HBIS Serbia steel mill, in the village of Radinac, as cancer rates have quadrupled in under a decade, near the city of Smederevo, Serbia, November 3, 2021. Picture taken November 3, 2021....more