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The construction of Chisso corporation in Minamata, Japan
The company started by producing fertilizers but Japans industrial sector grew tremendously at a rapid pace at the time and they soon expanded to chemical industry. They now supplied acetic acid, vinyl chloride, octanol and many more, these mostly used for the production of vinegar, glue, cleaning liquids, artificial flavoring and table salt. The factory eventually became the most advanced in Japan but the waste products from manufacture were just discarded into Minamata bay wastewater. -
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Signs of damage and fisheries compensation
The pollutants from the waste were substantially showed signs of environmental impact. The local fisheries had less catches and the company made two different compensation agreements to silence complaints. -
Acetaldehyde production and economic increase
The expansion of the factory greatly improved the local economic prosperity. They had a quarter of the entire towns employees. At this time acetaldehyde began production with 210 produced annually. The manufacture process used mercury sulfate as a catalyst (greatly increasing the production pace without any alterations). However a side reaction of sorts created the organic mercury compound methyl mercury. The negative effects of this was only discovered later. -
Unnatural sightings
1950 onward the locals started noticing weird occurrences in the village. Cats started having convulsions, went crazy and died. It was called the "cat dancing disease." Crows started falling from the skies, seaweed stopped growing and dead fish floated on the surface water. The town was plagued. -
Further intoxication
The acetaldehyde production had increased to 6000 tonnes annually making up more than 50% of Japans output. -
Great London smog
Most people died of lung conditions, many from unable to see clearly. 12000 People died. Thermal inversion. London started burning coal in 1200s, Industrial revolution in 1700s extra soot. Thick smog mized with londons bad air. Clouds forced the pollutants to stay. -
Disease discovered
A 5-year old girl is examined at Chisso Corporation's factory hospital. Symptoms of balance difficulties when walking, trouble speaking and convulsions. Doctors were informed that similar cases were eating away at many of the other locals. The epidemic was later publicly declared as an issue in the central nervous system. The causes of the disease were unknown so victims and their families were separated from others resulting in discrimination. -
London clean air act
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The Cause
The years 57-58 many theories were proposed surrounding what could possibly cause the dangerous disease. 14 of 40 patients were dead, the mortality was 36.7%. The food and shellfish eaten by locals was causing it. A heavy metal was believed to transfer from the fish to the human body. A British neurologist named Douglas McAlpine visiting in 1958 proposed it was the substance mercury from the factory. Research became centered around the suggestion and in 1959 it was found to be true. -
Metal Mercury Uncovered
The mercury distribution in Minamata Bay was investigated and high values of metal mercury was found in fish, sludge, shellfish. Victims were sampled and had heavy exposure to the metal. -
CITES
It was an international agreement. It was made to ensure that global trade of species was carried out with safety. This is to ensure there are no great negative impacts on the ecosystem and the species threatening their survival. Link text -
United Nations actions plan: Agenda 21
Sustainable Development Goals made in Rio. -
Gothemburg protocol
Mission to abate acidification, Eutrophication and G-level ozone tropospheric, photochemical smog. Reducing acid deposition. Latest review 2012. Set national emission ceilings for 2010 to 2020. Sulphur emissions, NOxs and VOCs.
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The Millenium development goals
Start 2005, UN in New York, Freedom from want (chapter contain 8 MDGs), freedom from fear, freedom to live with dignity. The largest and most successful anti-poverty collaboration in history, raising more than a billion people out of extreme poverty. 8 goals of which the biggest works were preventing hunger and enabling for more girls to attend school. Problems still present today, concentrated inequalities, Women dying at pregnancy and birth as well as disparities between rural and urban areas. -
Rio+20
UN conference In Rio 2012 which worked with the millennium goals on Sustainable development in consumption and production. -
Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals
United nations headquarters in NY establishes the follow up to the 2005 summit where the millennium goals had taken effect. The SDGs have 17 goals targeting 2030. They are long-term linked targets directed toward sustaining essential resources and resolving global issues. An example of a UN department implementing the goals in their agenda is the Food and Agriculture Organization assessing the distribution of food production and consumption (availability) across the world. -
IPCC report
Paris agreement accepted 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, a IPCC report published in 2018 proposes that 2 degrees won't be enough, 1.5 degrees is the new goal and is said to be acted on in the next 12 years. Positive report, there is hope moving forward
