This Struggle is Real: Grassy Narrows is a Legacy of Destruction, Not a Movie
Introduction The story of the Grassy Narrows mercury contamination could have been taken directly from a Hollywood movie, but it is not a movie it is an enduring legacy. This tragedy has affected both young and old members of this First Nation community for many years. Grassy Narrows, Ontario, is located in the Kenora District on the English-Wabigoon river system, 89 kilometres northeast of Kenora (Bray, 2009), The Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation is an Ojibway First Nation (grassynarrows.ca, n.d.), with a registered population of 1,115 members of whom approximately 951 members currently live on the reserve. This First Nations community has called Grassy Narrows home for hundreds of years, from even prior to the 1873 treaty between the Federal government the Grassy Narrows First Nations and the Ojibway tribes (grassynarrows.ca, n.d.). In this …show more content…
As Wang et al. (2013) noted, prior to embarking on any mercury contaminated river clean up, a detailed risk assessment must be completed in order to reduce injury to people or damage to the environment during the decontamination process. Wang et al. (2013) listed the In situ capping( ISC) process as a remedial process for mercury cleanup. Another process is dredging, this method is suggested for areas that are extremely toxic. Also, natural attenuation which is a process used for low dose contamination (Wang, et al. 2013 pp. 328-330).
Conclusion
Mercury contamination has adversely affected the residents in Grassy Narrows, their water and the food supply on which they depended, because of negligence and failure to protect the environment from hazardous substances. The paper mill benefited despite creating an environmental injustice that has been ongoing for decades and may continue for many more
Introduction The story of the Grassy Narrows mercury contamination could have been taken directly from a Hollywood movie, but it is not a movie it is an enduring legacy. This tragedy has affected both young and old members of this First Nation community for many years. Grassy Narrows, Ontario, is located in the Kenora District on the English-Wabigoon river system, 89 kilometres northeast of Kenora (Bray, 2009), The Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation is an Ojibway First Nation (grassynarrows.ca, n.d.), with a registered population of 1,115 members of whom approximately 951 members currently live on the reserve. This First Nations community has called Grassy Narrows home for hundreds of years, from even prior to the 1873 treaty between the Federal government the Grassy Narrows First Nations and the Ojibway tribes (grassynarrows.ca, n.d.). In this …show more content…
As Wang et al. (2013) noted, prior to embarking on any mercury contaminated river clean up, a detailed risk assessment must be completed in order to reduce injury to people or damage to the environment during the decontamination process. Wang et al. (2013) listed the In situ capping( ISC) process as a remedial process for mercury cleanup. Another process is dredging, this method is suggested for areas that are extremely toxic. Also, natural attenuation which is a process used for low dose contamination (Wang, et al. 2013 pp. 328-330).
Conclusion
Mercury contamination has adversely affected the residents in Grassy Narrows, their water and the food supply on which they depended, because of negligence and failure to protect the environment from hazardous substances. The paper mill benefited despite creating an environmental injustice that has been ongoing for decades and may continue for many more