1970 Minamata disease outbreak in Ontario

1970 Outbreak of severe mercury poisoning amongst Ontario First Nations Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning, normally as a result of pollution. A toxicological outbreak occurred in the Canadian province of Ontario, in 1970, and severely affected two First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario following consumption of local fish contaminated with mercury, and one First Nation in Southern Ontario due to illegal disposal of industrial chemical waste. The term Minamata disease references an infamous case of severe mercury poisoning amongst the fishing community of Minamata, Japan. Source of the mercury pollution Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows, Ontario, Canada Grassy Narrows and Whitedog First Nations In 1962, Dryden Chemical Company began operating a chloralkali process plant in Dryden, Ontario, using mercury cells.D'ltri, P A D'ltri, F M Mercury contamination: A human tragedy Environmental Management 2 1 3–16 January 1978 1432-1009 10.1007/BF01866442 1978EnMan...2....3D 153666705 McDonald, A Indigenous peoples' vulnerabilities exposed: Lessons learned from Canada's Minamata incident: An Environmental analysis based on the case study of methyl-mercury pollution in northwestern Ontario, Canada JACS Conference 2007 Japanese Association for Canadian Studies http://jacs.jp/AnnualConf2007/JACS2007/JACS2007resume/20070923mcdonald-e.pdf 2007-12-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20071014080420/http://www.jacs.jp/AnnualConf2007/JACS2007/JACS2007resume/20070923mcdonald-e.pdf 2007-10-14 It produced sodium hydroxide and chlorine that were used in large amounts for bleaching paper during production by the nearby Dryden Pulp and Paper Company. Both companies were subsidiaries of the British multinational, Reed International. Dryden Chemical Company discharged their effluent directly into the Wabigoon-English River system. In 1970, extensive mercury contamination was discovered in this river system, leading to closure of the commercial fishery and some tourism related businesses. On March 26, 1970, the Ontario provincial government ordered Dryden Chemical Company to cease dumping mercury into the river system, although the order did not place any restrictions on airborne emissions of mercury by the company. It was estimated that over 9,000 kg of mercury had been dumped by the company into the Wabigoon-English river system between 1962 and 1970. The airborne emissions of mercury continued unabated until the company stopped using mercury cells in its chloralkali process in October 1975; the company closed down in 1976. Sarnia First Nation The Aamjiwnaang First Nation (the Chippewas of Sarnia) is located on the St. Clair River, affectionately called by the local population "Chemical Valley". This First Nation is plagued by numerous chemical affective disorders, including mercury poisoning. Elders in the community recall collecting mercury from the local toxic waste dump by pouring water, then selling the collected mercury on the black market."Caught in a toxic web, Canadian natives are alarmed by a shortage of sons" https://web.archive.org/web/20120209082711/http://webzoom.freewebs.com/killerpillresearch/pollutiononcanadianreservation.pdf 2012-02-09 . AP News archive Health effects Grassy Narrows and Whitedog First Nations In the late 1960s, people in the Grassy Narrows and Whitedog First Nations populations started to have symptoms of mercury poisoning. Several Japanese doctors who had been involved in studying Minamata disease in Japan travelled to Canada to investigate the mercury poisoning in these people.Mercury Poisoning Quaker Committee for Native Concerns, Toronto, Canada CX16 1976 http://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/CX16.htm 2007-12-14Harada, M, Fujino, T, Akagi, T, and Nishigaki, S Epidemiological and clinical study and historical background of mercury pollution on Indian Reservations in Northwestern Ontario, Canada Kumamoto University 26 169–184 Blood mercury levels were above 100 ppb in a significant number of individuals and above 200 ppb in several others. Symptoms included sensory disturbances, such as narrowing of the visual field, and impaired hearing, abnormal eye movements, tremor, ataxia (impaired balance), and dysarthria (poor articulation of speech). Health effects continued to be felt, even in young people, in the 21st century. Dumping of drums of mercury which continue to leak is suspected,Susan Goldberg The Town Where Mercury Still Rises https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/19/opinion/the-town-where-mercury-still-rises.html April 19, 2017 The New York Times April 19, 2017 and field work by Brian Branfireun and others continues to monitor the health of the ecosystem.https://kenoraonline.com/local/odsp-now-covers-mercury-poisoning ODSP now covers mercury poisoning 2018-08-14 Ryan Forbeshttps://www.macleans.ca/news/chief-says-mercury-still-leaking-from-mill-near-grassy-narrows/ Chief says mercury still leaking from mill near Grassy Narrows - According to Chief Simon Fobister, a new report suggests there is ongoing contamination from the Dryden, Ont., mill Paola Loriggio 2017-02-28 2021-02-05 2021-01-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20210205053357/https://www.macleans.ca/news/chief-says-mercury-still-leaking-from-mill-near-grassy-narrows/ deadMercury legacy 'frightening,'commissioner https://kenoraonline.com/local/mercury-legacy-frightening-commissioner 2017-10-25 Ryan Forbes Lawsuits and settlements Grassy Narrows and Whitedog First Nations The Asabiinyashkosiwagong Nitam-Anishinaabeg or the "Grassy Narrows First Nation" and their downstream neighbours, the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations (then known as the "Whitedog Community of the Islington Band of Saulteaux") "sought compensation for loss of jobs and way of life. According to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) Ontario Region Communications, "on March 26, 1982, Canada contributed $2.2 million to Wabaseemoong for economic development, social and educational programs. Wabaseemoong also signed a settlement with Ontario in January 1983. On July 27, 1984, Canada contributed $4.4 million to Grassy Narrows for economic development and social service development/planning." According to INAC, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) reached in 1985 between the federal government, the Ontario government, Reed Limited, and Great Lakes Forest Products Ltd. resulted in a one-time compensation payment of $16.67 million with the federal government contributing $2 million, the Ontario government paying. Through the 1986 "Grassy Narrows and Islington Indian Bands Mercury Pollution Claims Settlement Act". Through this claims settlement, the Kenora, Ontario-based Mercury Disability Fund (MDF) and the Mercury Disability Board.http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/on/ewr_e.html English-Wabigoon River Mercury Compensation INAC Ontario Region Communications March 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20080311015530/http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/on/ewr_e.html March 11, 2008 April 12, 2005 dead The Government of Ontario held $2 million of this settlement in a trust fund which the province is "responsible for replenishing when the balance drops below $100,000. Nevertheless, the community members have seen little of this money, due to conditions on its use and bureaucratic requirements by band councils. Similarly to other First Nations communities, the federal government's Indian Act governance system has made it difficult for band councils and chiefs to negotiate for their people.http://newsocialist.org/newsite/index.php?id=239 New Socialist: Grassy Narrows: History of the fight 2007-10-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20080316151257/http://newsocialist.org/newsite/index.php?id=239 2008-03-16 dead Chief Sakatcheway was the first leader of community when the treaty was signed and mainly wanted education for the community. See also Environmental justice Environmental racism Heavy metal poisoning Minamata disease Niigata Minamata disease Mercury poisoning References 2 Further reading Ningewance, Patricia M., "Summary of Mercury Intoxication: a Translation" in An Ojibwe Text Anthology, edited by John D. Nichols. The Centre for Research and Teaching of Canadian Native Languages, University of Western Ontario (London, ON: 1988). Hightower, Jane, Diagnosis Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison, Island Press, 2008, chapter 9. Shkilnyk, Anestasia, A Poison Stronger than Love: The Destruction of an Ojibwa Community, Yale University Press (March 11, 1985), trade paperback, 276 pages, 0300033257 978-0300033250; hardcover, Yale University Press (March 11, 1985), 0300029977 978-0300029970 External links CBC Digital Archives: Grassy Narrows: Still ill (Sept. 2002) CBC Digital Archives: The Fifth Estate: Grassy Narrows Disaster (Sept. 1975) copy of Toronto Star news archive Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Fact Sheet: English-Wabigoon River Mercury Compensation Fort Frances Times news archive copy of Indian Life news archive 25 2 FindArticles http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JJC/is_2_25/ai_n6339100/print https://web.archive.org/web/20050326010450/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JJC/is_2_25/ai_n6339100/print March 26, 2005 usurped Grassy Narrows & Islington Band Mercury Disability Board web page University of Guelph THE SCIENCE CORNER archive Grassy Narrows and Islington Indian Bands Mercury Pollution Claims Settlement Act (1986, c. 23) Justice Canada versionAugust 2025 InternetArchiveBot yes and Royal Assent as of 1986-06-17 - CanLII version Indian and Northern Affairs Canada: The White Dog and Grassy Narrows Story https://web.archive.org/web/20070312111947/http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap/sg/si20_e.html 2007-03-12 Category:Environmental disasters in Canada Category:First Nations history in Ontario Category:1970 in Ontario Category:Health disasters in Canada Category:Mercury poisoning Category:1970 in Canada Category:Minamata disease Category:1970 disasters in Canada Category:Environmental racism in Canada