Minamata Flashcards
What is Minamata disease?
Minamata disease, sometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease, is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning.
What are the symptoms of Minamata disease?
Symptoms include ataxia(lack of coordination of muscle movements), 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. A congenital form of the disease can also affect foetuses in the womb.
History of Minamata disease
It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation’s chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968. This highly toxic chemical bioaccumulated in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea, which when eaten by the local populace resulted in mercury poisoning. While cat, dog, pig, and human deaths continued till 36 years, the government and company did little to prevent the pollution. The animal effects were severe enough in cats that they came to be called “dancing cat fever.”
What is the Minamata Convention?
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a treaty among 140 countries under U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP). It provides controls and reductions across a range of products, processes and industries where mercury is used, released or emitted.
When will this treaty come into effect?
The text will be signed in Minamata in October and will take effect once it has been ratified by 50 countries ? something organisers expect will take three to four years.
What are the products that contain mercury?
Mercury is found in products ranging from electrical switches, thermometers and light-bulbs, to amalgam dental fillings and even facial creams. Large amounts of the heavy metal are released from small-scale gold mining, coal-burning power plants, metal smelters and cement production.
What are the long term goals of this convention/treaty?
The treaty sets a phase out date of 2020 for a long line of products, including mercury thermometers, blood pressure measuring devices, most batteries, switches, some kinds of fluorescent lamps and soaps and cosmetics. It, however, provides exceptions for some large medical measuring devices where no mercury-free alternatives exist.
Mercury in health care?
Mercury is used as a preservative in vaccines.
It is also used in dental fillings.
Used in various medical measuring devices.
What are the major source of heavy metal contamination in the environment?
Large amounts of the heavy metal are released from small-scale gold mining, coal-burning power plants, metal smelters and cement production.
Whos is taking care of the funding?
Initial funding has been pledged by Japan, Norway and Switzerland.
Mercury trading as per the convention.
Production, export and import of a range of mercury containing products will be banned by 2020.
