A case study on minamata disease-By Ritu Chauhan

ok

1. A Case Study On   Presented By: Ritu Chauhan Ph.D. Environmental Sciences Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity University, Noida Campus, UP, India Minamata Disease

2.   Minamata Disease Minamata’s name came to be widely known to the world because of its pollution. It is common knowledge that the Minamata Disease was officially discovered in 1956 and was recognized by the national government in 1968 as a pollution disease. Minamata is located on the Western coast of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost island

3. Causes of Minamata disease 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. Mercury, is changed to water soluble dimethyl, mercury, which undergoes biomagnification.

4. The symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision, and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. Symptoms of Minamata Disease

5. What happened in Minamata Bay? Minamata Bay was heavily polluted in the 1950s and 1960s by wastewater, mixed with mercury dumped into Hyakken Harbour from the Chisso Corporation's factory in Minamata, particularly by methylmercury. ... The poisoning of Minamata Bay had a large impact on Japanese culture as well. A poisoning caused by long-term consumption, in large amounts, of fish and shellfish from  Minamata  Bay. How many people died of Minamata disease? In all, 900  people died  and 2,265  people  were certified as having directly suffered from mercury poisoning - now known as  Minamata disease .

6. Measures Taken Minamata Victims Memorial Service In 1994, patients, supporters, citizens and the administration began to work together. At the Minamata Victims Memorial Service held on May 1. The mayor expressed his regret, or apologized, for the first time on behalf of the administration, that it had not taken enough measures. “Creation of a Model Environmental City” movement became full-scale, making the most of the sacrifices made to the Minamata Disease to reconstruct the inner society and to regenerate the local community and Minamata City.

7. Measures Taken “Minamata City Comprehensive Plan” and “Minamata Primary Projects for the Environment” The Minamata Primary Projects for the Environment was developed simultaneously with the Comprehensive Plan. The drafting of a Plan is often commissioned to consultants, but Minamata City declared that its Plans would be made by its staff and citizens. In the two years following 1994, two open assemblies were held in all districts for direct dialogue with local resident and citizens who were appointed based on their application essays continuously met once every week for six months. This resulting in a proposal made solely by the citizens. Young staff at City Hall developed a project and presented their opinions. These were collaborated into Minamata City’s Comprehensive Plan and Minamata Primary Projects for the Environment. Minamata City has given these plans Local Agenda 21 status and has positioned them as measures that are to be implemented under the collaboration of the administration, citizens and businesses.

8. Measures Taken Individual Measures 2. Waste Reduction Because waste cannot be reduced just by division, the “Waste Reduction Women’s Liaison Conference” was established in 1997. The group is actively involved in such activities as appealing to citizens “not to bring waste into the household, to prolong the life of each product and to purchase reused or recycled goods.” They have negotiated with supermarkets to abolish excessive packaging through a “Food Tray Ban Agreement.” They have worked with Minamata City in acknowledging cooperative stores as environment friendly stores in a “Eco Shop Program.

9. Other Measures Educational Tours Environmental Master Program Minamata Prize for the Environment Accreditation : Minamata City received ISO14001 accreditation an international standard for environmental management

10. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we detain that all conventions and principles that we have mentioned before have not been established regulated at the time when Minamata disease occurred. However, if such principles and convention existed at that time, not only Chisso Company, but Japan as the state where the Minamata disease occurred shall be likely to the impacts and losses arisen from that tragedy. First of all, the Chisso Company has the absolute liability to the disease arisen because of their waste disposal that causing severe sickness and harm to the people. Secondly, Japan as the country where the company stood at, shall stipulated about the guidelines and the importance of Environmental Impact Assessment for every company or corporation that intended to involving hazardous materials and waste within their business.

11. Thank You