Japan's Minamata Bay in Kumamoto Prefecture outside, "I do not know sea of fire" is local and the Amakusa islands of Kyushu enclosed inland sea, where the seafood is rich, is the survival of fishermen main fishing grounds. Minamata Bay, east of the town of Minamata, a small town, there are 40,000 people living around the village also (Habitat) home to over 10,000 farmers and fishermen. "I do not know sea of fire" so that the town is particularly rich in fish thrive.
In 1925, Japan nitrogen plant in here, then opened the synthesis of acetic acid plant. After 1949, the company began production of vinyl chloride (c2h5cl), increasing annual production in 1956 over 6000 tons. At the same time, the factories without any treatment of wastewater discharged into Minamata Bay.
In 1956, Minamata Bay was discovered near a strange disease. The disease first appeared in cats, known as the "cat's disease." Sick cats unsteady gait, convulsions, paralysis, and even jumped into the sea to die, known as "suicide cat." Shortly thereafter, the area also found people who suffer from this disease. Patients with central nervous system and peripheral nervous because the brain has been infringed, the light slurred speech, staggering gait, dementia face, hand, foot paralysis, sensory disturbances, vision loss, tremor, hand, foot deformation, severe neurological disorders, or sleep, or excitement, the body bow shouted, until death. At that time the disease of unknown etiology was known as "abnormal."
Many years ago, had to repeatedly on the "sea of fire I do not know" fish, black, cats and other biological mutation reported in some places even the cat extinction. "Minamata disease" endangering the health and family well-being of local people, so many people physically and mentally destroyed by a heavy blow to the economy, and even family members dead. Even more distressing, because of methylmercury pollution in Minamata Bay can not catch fish for human consumption, local fishermen lost their lives depend, many families thrown into poverty. "I do not know sea of fire" lost its vitality, with no period it is desolate.
Japan's economic recovery after World War II, the rapid development of industry, but there was no corresponding environmental protection and pollution control measures, resulting in a variety of hazards of industrial pollution and disease along flooded. In addition, "Minamata disease", the Yokkaichi asthma, Toyama, "Itai-itai disease", which are emerging in this period. While Japan's industrial development so that economic benefit a lot of money, but it is difficult to restore the ecological environment destruction and pollution disease endless troubles of the Japanese government and business in the future to pay the extremely expensive treatment, treatment and compensation costs. So far, due to Minamata disease and protracted court proceedings brought still not completed. |
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