|
In 1968, Chisso finally stopped discharging mercury, and Kumamoto prefecture began construction in 1977 of a landfill for the sludge containing mercury and sealed it off. In 1997, Kumamoto prefecture issued a declaration of safety for Minamata Bay. As a result, currently Minamata Bay is one of the cleanest seas with high water clarity and low degree of contamination. However, the landfilled sea can never be recovered. The victims have suffered from discrimination and prejudice. Moreover, an ultimate treatment has not been discovered, and thus, the victims are living while bearing the suffering even now. Learning from a mistake, resulting in environmental destruction, comes with a heavy price, and learning that all mankind must make an effort to protect the environment so as to never let the same mistake occur, are things that we can learn from the damage of Minamata and put what we learn into practice in the future. |
