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 …

…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