Crude Reflections: ChevronTexaco’s Rainforest Legacy is a newly published book by photographers Lou Dematteis and Kayana Szymczak documenting the lives of those affected by the toxic contamination of a man-made disaster roughly 30 times worse than the Exxon Valdez spill.

A population of 30,000 Ecuadorians live nearby the ChevronTexaco facilities – many of whom have already been stricken with cancer and a high incidence of birth defects (as seen with the little girl in the photo). Medical experts believe that thousands will die from the oil pollution and as many as 5 indigenous communities will be wiped out.

See more photos of Ecuadorians affected by the ChevronTexaco oil spill.

Book signing at the ICP Museum Store with Kayana Szymczak & Lou Dematteis
Fri, November 14th @ 6pm ET
International Center of Photography
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street, NYC

PHOTO: Pamela Ramirez, sitting at home in San Carlos, Ecuador