Geography 2011A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation, Biomagnification, Bioaccumulation
5 May 2018
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In the 1960s/1970s, the Dryden mill dumped mercury into a river upstream of the Grassy Narrows
community. Historically, the people of Grassy Narrows have relied on the river for drinking water and
fish for sustenance and commercial use. When persistent toxic contaminants like mercury create
contaminated sediments, and enter the food chain, they bioaccumulate and biomagnify in humans,
causing Minamata disease.
The experience of the Grassy Narrows community is disheartening because of the challenges the
community faced ad is still faig today, ut also disappoitig eause of the goeret’s respose
to this issue.
The mercury pollutio i the ouity’s drikig ater ad fish led to ay people deelopig
debilitating neurological symptoms. The mercury pollution also had economic impacts as commercial
fishery closed and guiding for tourist declined. However, the effects of the mercury extend beyond the
health and economic impacts. What I found compelling about this story was the social and cultural
consequences of the mercury contamination. The fish and water are of cultural value to the Grassy
Narrow community and the declining quality of these resoures has diiished these people’s sese of
identity and community. Furthermore, after the discovery of the mercury, an epidemic of violence and
suicide ensued and these social consequences still affect the community today.
The community has not been justly treated by the Pulp and Paper companies and the government.
Although the companies were within their legal boundaries when they dumped the mercury into the
river, they did not consider the effects their actions would have on the surrounding communities.
Additionally, when the mercury was first discovered, the government denied that it was making people
sick. I believe that the mistreatment of the Grassy Narrow community has racial undertones that are
compounded with the government refusing to take responsibility for Native affairs. The government
allowed the companies to dump mercury into their water, but the Grassy Narrow community were left
to fend for themselves. I also believe that the compensation that the government provided to
community members is not a sufficient for restitution because it will not reverse what happened and
the effects of the mercury poisoning are long-lasting. Mercury can settle at the bottom of rivers creating
contaminated sediments that are difficult to remove and stay there for a long time. The government
should start investing in the water treatment plant in the community because their water system is still
sending out chemicals in the treated water due to the lack of upgrades.
I believe that there would be a different reaction if this environmental disaster occurred in the Thames
River in London. The government would step up, take responsibility and maybe adopt a remedial action
plan to clean up the Thames River, similar to the Great Lakes remedial action plans.
I think it is important for the government to recognize that this is not just an indigenous problem, it is a
human problem that needs to be combated with the combined efforts of the people of Grassy Narrows,
the government, and the mills.
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
In the 1960s/1970s, the dryden mill dumped mercury into a river upstream of the grassy narrows community. Historically, the people of grassy narrows have relied on the river for drinking water and fish for sustenance and commercial use. When persistent toxic contaminants like mercury create contaminated sediments, and enter the food chain, they bioaccumulate and biomagnify in humans, causing minamata disease. The experience of the grassy narrows community is disheartening because of the challenges the community faced a(cid:374)d is still fa(cid:272)i(cid:374)g today, (cid:271)ut also disappoi(cid:374)ti(cid:374)g (cid:271)e(cid:272)ause of the go(cid:448)er(cid:374)(cid:373)e(cid:374)t"s respo(cid:374)se to this issue. The mercury pollutio(cid:374) i(cid:374) the (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)ity"s dri(cid:374)ki(cid:374)g (cid:449)ater a(cid:374)d fish led to (cid:373)a(cid:374)y people de(cid:448)elopi(cid:374)g debilitating neurological symptoms. The mercury pollution also had economic impacts as commercial fishery closed and guiding for tourist declined. However, the effects of the mercury extend beyond the health and economic impacts. What i found compelling about this story was the social and cultural consequences of the mercury contamination.
