Mercury poisoning of thousands confirmed world news the. Minamatas rolling hills and striking beauty contrast with its brutal history. From 1932 to 1968, hundreds of tonnes of mercury seeped into the clear waters of minamata bay, japan, causing health and environmental problems still felt today. Yesterday, more than 30 years later, researchers presented evidence that the mercury poisoning of minamata bay in the 50s and 60s lasted longer, spread further and affected tens of thousands more. Minamata disease the history and measures summary summary.
How japans dancing cats predicted a deadly environmental. Otherwise, minamata was no different from other villages found throughout the country. The areas with outbreak of minamata disease cited from our investigative efforts to the tragic history of minamata disease 1999 by environmental health department, environment agency. Minamata was a factory town controlled by the chisso corporation. Mercury was in the waste product dumped into minamata bay on a massive scale by a chemical plant. Trade and environment database ted case study minamata.
William eugene smith, who had reported the tragedy in minamata using excellent photographs. Minamata disease, a neurological disorder contracted by eating seafood from waters contaminated with mercurytainted industrial waste discharged into a. The minamata convention is named after the japanese city of minamata, which experienced a severe, decadeslong incidence of mercury poisoning after industrial wastewater from a chemical factory was discharged into minamata bay. Katsuro irukayama presents a report stating that organic mercury chloride was extracted from the mercury sludge sample taken from the. The faces of shiranui sea and of those living along its shores were irreporably changed by the recklessness of japanese economy lead. The minamata disaster and thetrue costs of japanese. The response by the mhw was that the said policy could not be legally enforced as there was no clear evidence of the toxic contamination of all fish and shellfish in a specified area of minamata bay. It is on the west coast of kyushu and faces amakusa islands. Oct 01, 20 a few years before her birth, dead fish and other sea creatures had begun appearing in minamata bay. It was described that children born between 1955 and later whose mothers ingested the fish or shellfish from minamata bay displayed severe neurological deficits even if the mothers themselves did not display those symptoms castoldi, et. Due to the breakout of the minamata disease, the administration of minamata city entered a thirtyyear period of deadlock. Direct evidence that mercury from the chisso plant was responsible, however, did not emerge until 1959. Feb 12, 2012 minamata disease, from the discovery to the outbreak to the attempts made at covering up who was actually involved, and lastly the implications of current struggles with mercury pollution on both.
Mar 31, 2020 this highly toxic compound was released into minamata bay from the start of production in 1932 until 1968 when this production method was discontinued. Sydney minamata bay background information minamata was a small town on the western coast of kyushu, japans southern island. The issue over 3,000 victims have been recognized as having minamata disease. Minamata bay is a bay on the west coast of kyushu island, located in kumamoto prefecture, japan. Oct 10, 20 minamatas rolling hills and striking beauty contrast with its brutal history. Lessons from minamata disease and mercury management in japan. Minamata convention on mercury international cooperation. The minamata disaster and thetrue costs of japanese modernization in 1900, minamata bay was a sleepy fishing village, located on the west coast of the japanese island of kyushu about 560 miles southwest of tokyo.
The ocean served up a rich variety of seafood, and its tidal shallows were a veritable sea. Minamata disease, from the discovery to the outbreak to the attempts made at covering up who was actually involved, and lastly the implications of current struggles with. The fishbased diets of the people and cats of minamata seemed to be the common thread between those showing symptoms, leading scientists to suspect the fish in minamata bay were being poisoned. Sep, 2017 afterwards, the company dumped the leftover chemicals into minamata bay, where the mercury came into contact with bacteria that transformed it into the most noxious form of the metal. On april 21, 1956, a five yearold girl was examined at the chisso corporation s factory hospital in minamata, japan, a town on the west coast of the southern island of kyushu. These materials were brought into minamata village and wood and mountain products were shipped from the port.
Minamata disease the history and measures summary moe. Minamata disease methylmercury poisoning was first discovered in 1956 around minamata bay, kumamoto prefecture, japan. Minamata disaster synonyms, minamata disaster pronunciation, minamata disaster translation, english dictionary definition of minamata disaster. Minamata disease is an example of organic toxicity. Afterwards, the company dumped the leftover chemicals into minamata bay, where the mercury came into contact with bacteria that transformed it into. Because of its location, townspeople eat a lot of fish. By the end of 1956, epidemiological and medical researchers identified the disease as heavymetal poisoning caused by eating the fish and shellfish of minamata bay. Minamata disease is a wellknown mercury contamination that happened in japan in 1953. In 1900, minamata bay was a sleepy fishing village, located on the west coast of the japanese island of kyushu about 560 miles south west of tokyo. The minamata disaster and the disease that followed. According to eugene smiths interview of the people who lived in minamata, the company believed that it was. The faces of shiranui sea and of those living along its shores were irreporably changed by the recklessness of japanese economy lead by chisso company and the government. Minamata disease sometimes referred to as chissominamata disease is a neurological. The minamata disaster and thetrue costs of japanese modernization.
Outline the history19081955 19561959 finding the causeidentification of mercury 1959 compensationwaste water treatment ten years of silence continued pollution congenital minamata disease mercury poisoning and control response measures against minamata pollution. The marine products in minamata bay displayed high levels of hg contamination 5. It lies astride a small river that empties into minamata bay, an arm of the semienclosed shiranui yatsushiro sea. Apr 25, 2017 minamata disease is transmitted by the consumption of large numbers of shellfish and fish living in the minamata bay and its environs which was contaminated by mercury compound.
Minamata disease is a poisoning disease that affects mainly the central nervous system and is caused by the consumption of large quantities of fish and shellfish living in minamata bay and its surroundings, the major causative agent being some sort of organic mercury compound. By 1925, the chisso corporation was dumping waste into minamata bay and destroying the fishing areas. Symptoms included convulsions, slurred speech, loss of motor functions and uncontrollable limb movements. Brought about by environmental pollution, the damage to health wrought by minamata disease and the accompanying destruction of the natural environment, is in terms of the scale of damage and the. During the video address to the convention, abe said. Minamata victims cry foul meanwhile, victims of the minamata disease, which affected more than 75,000 people in japan, have criticized premier abe for seeking to put a closure to their sufferings. Precisely because we experienced and overcame damage from mercury, japan bears. Minamata disaster definition of minamata disaster by the. Minamata disease top 10 environmental disasters time. Minamata is a small fishing town on the coast of the shiranui sea. Across the bay is amakusa island, which produced some coal. Minamata is a japanese city of 34,000 people on the northwest coast of kumamoto prefecture in the island of kyushu.
Established in 1988 by soshisha, the minamata disease museum embraces the role of handing down the complex heritage left by minamata disease. As the first global treaty on mercury finally comes into force, what have we really learned from this disaster. Minamata was established as a village in 1889, redesignated as a town in 1912 and grew into a city in 1949. Lessons from minamata disease and mercury management in. Invision employees share their remote work secrets. Over 3,000 victims have been recognized as having minamata disease. Over the years 2,265 people have been officially certified as permanently disabled, of whom 1,784 have died.
With regard to minamata disease occurring in the areas around minamata bay in kumamoto prefecture, the patient was reported for the first time in may 1956, and. Minamata disease, which is a typical example of the pollutionrelated health damage in japan, was first discovered in 1956, around minamata bay in kumamoto prefecture, and in 1965, in the agano river basin in niigata prefecture. The bay is part of the larger shiranui sea which is sandwiched between the coast of the kyushu mainland and the offlying islands of kumamoto and nagasaki prefectures. The first recognized outbreaks occurred around minamata bay, in kumamoto prefecture, in 1956. Minamata bay kumamoto prefecture and agano river niigata prefecture in japan. Minamata disease is a condition that people in most parts of the world are not familiar with, but it is painfully real to those living in the city of minamata, japan. The mercury was methylated by bacteria and subsequently ingested by fish. Minamata, minamatashi is a city located in kumamoto prefecture, japan. This was because the minamata disease not only caused an unimaginable level of. Minamata by eugene and aileen smith is an extraordinary book in many ways.
A fishing port, minamata was also the home of nippon chisso hiryo co. The minamata city fisheries coop lifts the ban of fishing except in minamata bay. The minamata disaster has certainly been the most outstanding example recorded of the effects of industrial irresponsibility and will remain as a never to be forgotten lesson. The mercury contaminated fish living in minamata bay.
In searing photographs and words it chronicles the last few years of the fight by a group of japanese fishing families to stop the poisoning of themselves and their children with toxic mercury by the local chisso chemical plant in the city of minamata. Lethality symptoms of minamata disease were first discovered in april 1956 when children started to exhibit symptoms for an unknown disease. Minamata disease is a methylmercury poisoning with neurological symptoms and caused by the daily consump. Minamata disease causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis. Minamata disease caused serious damage to the natural environment, human relations, and economic activities in these districts, as well as to the daily lives of the patients and their family members. Minamata disease causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment. In minamata bay, a factory discharged inorganic mercury into the water. Distribution of the first cases black circles near minamata bay. Sep 09, 2015 a presentation on the 1925 minamata disaster. Outline the history19081955 19561959 finding the causeidentification of mercury 1959 compensationwaste water treatment ten years of silence continued pollution congenital minamata disease mercury poisoning and control response measures against minamata pollution the water. Minamata disease was present both in adults and infants, with an array of phenotypes. Pdf minamata disease is a wellknown mercury contamination that. Due to demand during world war, second mercury disaster occurred in niigata prefecture in 1965.
Minamata bay with the application of the food sanitation act and requested the mhw to decide on the legality of this policy in august 1957. Take your hr comms to the next level with prezi video. Three years later, an investigation concluded that the affliction was a result of industrial poisoning of minamata bay by the chisso corp. A second epidemic in japan occurred in 1965 along the agano river, niigata. The piece was constructed in three parts, to musically reflect the tragedy peaceful village. The theory behind noguchis industry was to pay off the minamata fisherman in exchange for damaging their fishing environment. The outbreak was also confirmed later in the reaches of the agano river in niigata prefecture. A call for action on mercury poisoning in minamata. It has taken some of these people over thirty years to receive compensation for this inconceivable event. A few years before her birth, dead fish and other sea creatures had begun appearing in minamata bay. A degenerative neurological disorder caused by poisoning with a mercury compound found in seafood obtained from waters contaminated with.