Kodaikanal mercury poisoning

•  Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has finally entered into a settlement to provide “undisclosed” ex-gratia amount to the victims of mercury poisioning consisting of future health care benefits.
• HUL was facing a ‘class action litigation’ moved by the former workers of its thermometer factory at Kodaikanal who were allegedly exposed to toxic mercury vapour during their employment.
• This is the first ever class action litigation moved by industrial workers against occupational health exposure.
• In 2001, Hindustan Unilever shut down its factory in Kodaikanal following a case of mercury poisoning due to the manufacture of Mercury based thermometers for export purpose. The case of Mercury poisoning was proven and the extent of the environmental abuse was second only due to the Bhopal disaster. A number of families were affected by this pollution and many workers too faced its draught.
• The factory was moved to India from the United States in the early 1980’s and catered mainly to the American and European markets. While Unilever is one of the brands that promotes its corporate responsibility and comes up with innovative ways to give back to the environment, in this case the company allegedly hasn’t taken any measures to manage the situation.
• While 300 tonnes of contaminated water was extracted in 2003. The poisoning has also affected the forest in that area.
• Over 600 people were poisoned as a result of this toxic dumping, 45 of whom lost their lives.

About Mercury Poisoning:

• Mercury is the most poisonous, non-radioactive, naturally occurring substance on our planet. There is no safe level of mercury because even one atom of it in your body is doing some harm to it.
• Chronic mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings takes time to accumulate and express a related symptom. Because mercury is found in every cell of the body, and there are trillions of cells, it may take years for enough mercury to accumulate for a symptom to appear. Chronic mercury poisoning is not a disease but an accumulative problem and during the period of time it is accumulating it is poisoning you every step along the way.
• Exposure to mercury may cause serious health problems, and is a threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life.
• Mercury may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.
• Mercury is considered by WHO as one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.
• People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, when they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound.

By: Vishal