Environment alumna puts science into action

“Since the disaster in Minamata, many developed countries have curbed mercury use, but in the developing world mercury pollution remains a serious issue due to environmental and human health risks,” she said. “Designing interventions is complex because each nation has unique political, social and technical challenges. The question was, ‘Where do we start?’”
Nearly 2,300 people in Minamata were officially recognized as having the disease, caused by eating contaminated seafood and food. Mercury, when ingested, attacks the central nervous system, leading to brain damage, memory loss, birth defects and behavioral disorders.
Nowadays, Dales says artisanal small-scale gold mining represents the largest demand for mercury in the world. Second only to coal plants as a source of mercury emissions, rising gold prices has made artisanal mining a lucrative livelihood for people in developing countries, with some 15 million people dependent on the industry.
http://www.royalroads.ca/news/environment-alumna-puts-science-action