Lydia Coleman & Aislin Long-The Minamata Poisoning by Lydia Coleman

What happened?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:35:10 UTC

Minamata is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, the City was known as 'Chisso's castle' because the manufacturing company, Chisso Corp. thrived in Minamata and employed 1/4th of the city. The company started by producing fertilizer but as Japan's chemical industry expanded, begining in August of 1951 Chisso evolved to manufacturing plastics, drugs, and perfumes. This expansion included a chemical called acetaldehyde, to produce acetaldehyde Chisso used mercury compounds as catalysts. The reaction resulted in an organic mercury compound being released into Minamata's wastewater, eventually working its way into the fish, sediment, wildlife, rain, agriculture, and people. The first case of Minamata diasease was in April of 1956.

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:39:55 UTC

How did it impact people?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:41:36 UTC

Minamata disease is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning. Signs and symptoms include ataxia, numbness, in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, loss of peripheral vision, and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death follow within weeks of the symptoms. A congenital form of the disease affects fetuses in the womb, causing microcephaly, extensive cerebral damage, and symptoms similar to those seen in cerebral palsy. This disease also took away the main food source in the area leaving families struggling to get food.

How did it impact profit?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:41:48 UTC

Polluting wastewater has damaged Minamata fisheries ever since the Chisso factory's opening in 1908. The Minamata Fishing Cooperative had managed to win small payments of "sympathy money" from the company in 1926 and again in 1943. After the outbreak of Minamata disease, the fishing situation was becoming critical. Fishing catches had declined by 91% between 1953 and 1957. The Kumamoto prefectural government issued a partial ban on the sale of fish caught in the heavily polluted Minamata Bay. However, it was not an all-out ban, which would have legally obliged it to compensate the fishermen. The fishing cooperative protested against Chisso and angrily forced their way into the factory on 6 August and 12 August, demanding compensation.

How did it impact the planet?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:41:59 UTC

During the original investigation of the disease, researchers found 2 kilos of toxic heavy metals per ton of sediment in Minamata Bay. High levels of toxins were found in deceased wildlife bodies, and locals began to notice something known as 'dancing cat disease', where cats who had been infected would converse and then promptly pass away, locals also noticed an odd amount of birds falling from the sky, in hindsight we know that the animals were early warning signs of the upcoming outbreak. The seaweed on Minamata Bay died and washed up along with other sea life. The poisoning resulted in wildlife and pet deaths for 36 years. The mercury was absorbed into the air and brought back down to earth by the rain, this would most likely further affect the people and animals eating the toxic crops and decrease the quality of agriculture, however supporting data wasn't found.

How was it addressed? What value system does it reflect?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:42:41 UTC

As a result of the leak, laws were made both within Japan and internationally. These laws protected and compensated the victims, regulated waste disposal, and enforced environmental protection. This solution appeals mostly to the anthropocentric persona because they tend to belive in the law and that humans and nature should be separated.

Why is it important to the history of the environment?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:43:12 UTC

The Minamata outbreak brought global attention to real environmental health issues and the need for strict industrial and manufacturing laws and guidelines. Cleaning the sediment and water has been an ongoing project for the town with the goal of reducing the risk of contamination and improving environmental health. However, because of the event, Minamata is ostracized and almost feared.

How did it shift our responsibilities to the enviroment?

78903_5 — 2024-08-28 17:44:00 UTC

Minamata disease reminded us of the extremes of toxic materials and that they must be handled responsibly. Chisso's production process was unknowingly poisoning a large population, the incident forced companies to be more mindful and thorough with their production methods and what they're leaving in their environment. On the other hand, it also gives the general public a reason to be scared. As the manufacturing industry continued to expand, people may have become more wary about what they consume and where they live. The Minamata mercury leak demonstrated how unchecked manufacturing can lead to catastrophic environmental and public impacts.

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78903_5 — 2024-08-29 15:43:21 UTC

Dancing cat disease

78903_5 — 2024-08-29 16:07:42 UTC

Before the outbreak began, people noticed cats convulsing and jumping sporaticaly as well as a spike in pet deaths. A cats diet often consisted of table scraps and dead fish. Locals thought it was demonic possesion or a sudden interest in dancing, but in reality the cats had been exposed to high levels of mercury and were showing signs of poisoning. The cats probably expirinced symptoms like muscle spasms, loss of feeling, and loss of pherphial vision.