Minamata Mercury Pollution Disaster.
Minamata Mercury Pollution Disaster
Minamata and the Chisso Cooperation:
Minamata is a small factory town dominated by the Chisso
Corporation. The town faces the Shiranui Sea, and Minamata Bay is
part of this sea. In Japanese, "Chisso" means nitrogen. The
Chisso Corporation was once a fertilizer and carbicle company, and
gradually advanced to a petrochemical and plastic-maker company.
From 1932 to 1968, Chisso Corporation, a company located in
Kumamoto Japan, dumped an estimated 27 tons of mercury compounds
…
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…th deformities and mental retardation
** Fish and shellfish from Minamata Bay had high levels of mercury
** Chisso Chemical Plant released mercury into the bay
oo Elemental mercury is not water soluble
oo Assumed would sink to bottom sediments and remain inert
** Bacteria in sediments were able to convert mercury to soluble methylmercury
** 3,500 people affected
** 50 died
** After 20 years of litigation, company admitted guilt and agreed to pay reparations
** Mud containing mercury was dredged and buried elsewhere
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